I managed to convince Isaac to give me enough time to change my clothes before raiding Frederickson Manor. My beautiful blue dress was covered with cobwebs because of that stunt on the balance beam. I'd also prefer to avoid blood if possible. Cobwebs can at least be brushed off.

I decided not to take my rifle. It is useful, but bulky, so it is not suitable for penetration. The sad truth is that when I'm carrying it, it's hard for me to move. Sometimes I would climb up and forget it was there, only to hear the sound of the barrel hitting the door frame.

Embarrassed. Maybe I just need more practice.

I won't give up my pistol no matter what. I am an elegant, delicate, black powder woman. Try to stop me!

Our carriage arrived at the pre-agreed meeting point. As I was leaving, Isaac came out from behind the shadow of a tree. We are now on the western edge of Savannah, where even the most humble huts have been replaced by barren land. The chill in the air was biting, and Dalton's breath turned into tiny clouds of ice.

Vampires will widen their eyes when they see my clothes. Loth and I spent over 30 hours on it, and the results came in.

It was a dress, as black as night. It can't see parties, it can't see dancing, it can't see revelry. It is an instrument of death, a tool of hunting, a statement. One glance at it tells that its wearer is not here to play. It's mine and I love it.

The outfit wrapped me tightly from head to toe. Most of my torso, arms, and legs are wrapped in silk threads. My heart was protected by a fully integrated Hastings-designed cuirass, while on my forearm were blunt steel bracers, strong enough to block the blades. And my sword holster, throwing knives and pistols. Dark boots and skirts complete the whole, although the skirt is just men's pants that I am uncomfortable wearing. The fabric is comfortable, so when I move, there is no sound of the fabric flapping in the air to reveal my presence. It was designed and created for me.

As I walked towards Isaac, Dalton pulled out a huge crossbow, also the work of Rose. My vassals have fallen in love with this evil contraption. It may be slow, but it's silent, and its attraction is terrifying. After all, it was used to kill werewolves.

"Hello, uh, Ariana, uh, Manor. That's it. Over the mountain. ”

I should add distractions to the list of qualities of the armor. Maybe it's just a little too snug-snug? Especially at the bottom?

Of course not.

Putting these considerations aside for a moment, I look up to our destination. There is nothing to see, just an empty field. The road continued to our right, and on our left, there was a small grove of trees that covered the carriage.

It seems that Isaac wanted me to lead, so I came. I stepped aside until we found a way. I'm not going to walk through the actual fields. Vampire or not, I have enough mud under my feet to start my own plantation.

We walked along the road silently, and I listened attentively for the trouble. Soon, the edge of the estate came into view.

Now, I admit that I am a civilian. I even admit that the insult I heard from Mrs. Moore about the "glorious peasant" was a little too to the point, so I was not the best person to judge the qualities of others. Having said that, if this counts as an inheritance, then I am the Queen of Spain. It's a dilapidated farm, that's all.

Isaac seemed to be as worried as I was.

"Is it really here?"

"No doubt," I replied, pointing ahead.

The farm is surrounded by stone walls, which surround the buildings. Through two open doors, I saw a house, servants' quarters, and a barn. There was some activity in the yard and I could see the glow of the unique lanterns.

"Aren't they doing the farmer's business?"

Are you sure? Are you sure?

"In the middle of the night?", I shushed, "February?" Do they need guards?" I added, pointing to a pair of sentries around the door.

“…… I don't think so. ”

This man was unbelievably sheltered!

"I assure you, they are the right people. Now, before we go any further, do we agree that everyone here has to die?"

"I'd rather catch a few so I can interrogate them later."

I grabbed my temporary employer's shoulders so that the last bit of temper would be gone. I stared into his eyes and kept trying to get a message that wouldn't be considered unnecessarily rude.

"There's no need to be restrained, Ariana, just say whatever you want."

"Good. You asked me to support you as you destroy the enemy, who is now the enemy, for a clear purpose, to protect your territory. This is our agreement, sir, and as a result I killed your opponent and got a spot from our prisoners. I thought you needed a little encouragement, but apparently I was wrong. You will raid this farm. You'll kill its inhabitants to reclaim your status as an apex predator, and I'll only step in if you find yourself in danger. Only then will you be able to experience real hunting. If I did everything for you, then what's the point of me being here?"

"Yes, yes, you're right."

"Why don't you want to kill?" Isn't that one of the easiest things for us to do?"

"As a group, I guess," he replied with a hint of impatience, "the problem is that I've been trained not to do it. We at Rosenthal learned how to dodge, avoid, and flee because any conflict we get into is one we shouldn't have been involved in in the first place. ”

"Then it's time to rely less on training and more on intuition, isn't it?" Look at those people, look at them. ”

Isaac turned to the two grumpy guards. They whispered about their tasks, about the cruel torture of their gonads by the weather.

"Do you know what they're missing?"

Isaac frowned, looking them up and down. I can imagine him looking at a list of things he wants a kidnapping gang member to have. I sighed.

"Fear. Isaac, they don't know fear. They come to your territory in the dead of night, and they have no fear. They even turned on the lights and walked around loudly, because they weren't even afraid of the militia, why should they? How much do they have in their pockets? They've been digging money out of you with impunity, who knows how long. Like a mouse. Aren't you angry? Is this how it should be?"

"No ......"

"You don't need training to tear your neck and crush bones, you just need to do what feels right. Really?"

"That's right."

"Then show me."

He slipped into the shadows and approached the sentry from the side. I looked at him with a little concern, but it soon turned out to be redundant. He was silent.

The only problem I've ever had with my instincts is that I tend to overestimate myself when I give in to my instincts. Isaac's predicament is incomprehensible. What kind of vampire would be afraid of their own powers? I can only assume that I missed a key factor that would allow me to understand.

I turned my attention back to the present. Isaac was moving along the walls and would soon attack. I signaled Dalton and whispered in his ear.

"Go around to the front door. Kill all those who escaped. ”

He patted my hand in understanding and left.

Working for Isaac only made me appreciate this loyal vassal even more. Not only is he capable; He is also obedient and proactive. If he were part of his heroic companions, they would be a force to be reckoned with. Their loss, my victory.

I kept looking at Isaac as he grabbed the first sentry in a break in conversation and slammed him backwards into the wall.

Disappointing.

Of course, the second sentry heard the crash and turned around. Outlaws and vampires come face to face.

and stop.

Come on! Do something! I stepped forward and grabbed a throwing dagger. I'd rather not sound the alarm. If we are caught too early, chasing everyone can become a chore, not to mention entering the house if someone calls it their home.

Just as the sentry raised his rifle alertly, Isaac jumped.

I recognize it. The first time I intuitively used it was at Henry's house in New Orleans. It's a great opening and ending.

The vampire's claws pierced his chest, sucking his breath away forever. Blood gushed out of the geyser, staining my companion's face red.

I don't understand. He could have easily avoided this.

He slowly covered his face with his hands, as if to wipe it clean. It was a futile effort, as they were all covered in a crimson liquid.

He stared at his wet hands. He narrowed his eyes, deep in thought.

He licked his lips.

He lifted his face up to me, and in an instant I saw a terrible purple reflected in his docile brown, and he was gone.

I rushed to the wall and jumped on it. The yard was almost empty except for a few crates. The barn door was wide open, and a narrow cart was parked in front of it. The several lanterns scattered around gave mortals a limited view.

The horse neighed in fear. I heard the sound of flesh tearing, and cries of surprise and frustration. My allies inflicted a savage assault on a fallen man under the shocked gaze of a crowd. I can't see his face from here, I should ......

What should I do? Why should I stop him?

Because we need at least one prisoner in case an invitation is needed. Curse.

When the first shot fired, I jumped off. Isaac was hit, which seemed to stop his madness. He turned to the criminal, grabbed him by the throat with his hand, and threw the body to another person. His movements are agile and brutal, but extremely inefficient. He spends too much time on each of his victims, and if his enemies are trained and equipped to stop him, he runs the risk of being knocked down. I found myself disappointed again. I'd love to see another person like me play against someone else, for a change of taste. The show was rather uneventful.

One of our adversaries calmly jumped on the nearest horse and fled, while his companion was slaughtered by the unusually resilient madman among them. He rushed to the front door, something must have reflected it, as he turned to me and our eyes met.

I smiled and pointed ahead. He turned, just as an argument was in his mount's chest.

They are poured into a pile. Wonderful footage as always. Now I just need to choose a survivor... Ah, it doesn't seem necessary.

The front door of the house was slammed open by a man in dirty overalls. From here I could smell the smell of wine and old sweat, a disgusting mixture that illustrates decadence and neglect. He held a large butcher's knife in his hand, stained with blood, some of which was human blood.

Behind him is the chief here.

I can see the authority at a glance.

The ringleader wore a conservative gray suit and would not look out of place in court. His dark eyes scanned the courtyard, not caring for the fallen man. He wasn't worried at all, just angry that someone had the audacity to attack his operation.

Two people noticed me at the same time. The tall man laughed horribly, and the leader showed only cold contempt.

"A woman".

"Very shrewd, sir, and I appreciate your keen observations."

They all frowned. Ah yes, it's hard for me to reconcile with their knowledge of the world. Inside, I should be cowering in fear like the fragile people they kidnapped from their homes.

"She". The leader said in a bored voice.

I let the tall man approach me. The ugly smirk on his face would have worried me two years ago. I'm not that Ariana anymore.

His dirty claws grabbed me by the shoulder. I quickly pierced his arm and jumped away, ripping his artery lengthwise.

He flinched from pain and surprise. I don't understand his surprise. I didn't move, I didn't show fear. Did he really want me to stay there and wait for the cruelty that his expression foreshadowed?

"You!"

He rushed forward angrily, his hands trying to stop the flow of blood. I took a step back. It was my favorite moment.

When he saw the puddle of blood that had come out of his doomed body, anger turned to worry, then to real fear, then panic. He tied a dirty handkerchief to the open wound, as if it could hold the tide at bay.

"Boss, help me!"

The "boss" gritted his teeth in frustration and pulled out a gun. He didn't even glance at his poor subordinate. A real monster in human skin has no compassion, no honor. I would love playing with him.

As another man walked past him, the beast fell to his knees. He was as white as a sheet, and the earth beneath his feet turned a beautiful carmine.

In that moment, I felt the beauty of this moment. Red, black and white highlights. Life and death are intertwined in a fleeting moment. A dying man, a man heading to death, a woman who died and came back to life, it's a wonderful trio, each a victim of a fate they don't know and can't control. I sometimes miss the day, but times like this make it all worth it.

The second person approached me, and the painting disappeared.

He sneered and raised his pistol and shot me in the face.

Or at least trying.

How reckless, and rather rude! These Savannahs are so brazen.

When he pulled the trigger and the smoke ignited, I moved my entire torso to the side. I don't need to dodge bullets, I just need the man's aim. The bullet flew through my left ear like an angry hornet.

Oh! Whoa! So loud! It's quite painful! Why doesn't our family's shooting range have this problem? Is it because I became the victim this time? Hi!

I forced myself to keep smiling, even though I wanted to rip his throat open. I just want to quietly appreciate the "death warning", is this asking too much?

Phew, I can't kill him. Really, my agreement with Isaac is forbidden.

The aloof man in front of me showed a hint of vigilance for the first time since we met. Fascinating. Seeing his men dead or dying should have made him aware of it, but it was only through his own failures that he realized his predicament? Arrogant. The disadvantage of a person is the habit of seeing only one's own talents.

"You have no idea who you're fighting against. You and your friends are dead. ”

"Unless what?"

"The boss" frowned in frustration. Somewhere behind us, a man was begging me to spare his life.

"Go on. What are you going to end your sentence with, aren't you? If you don't let me go, you'll all die? If you leave, I will only ask for compensation. Will my powerful friends ruin you and your family? Go on, I think I've heard variations of most classics, but sometimes, there are people who can blow my mind. ”

"I'm going to teach you to respect others,!"

Bored. Oh.

The man drew a long sword from his ornate sheath and pounced on it. I take a simple step back to avoid the tip of the blade while grabbing my own and sliding to deflect a follow-up that doesn't come.

After his attack didn't hit me, the man simply backed away and now circled around me cautiously.

"You know, you may be well trained, but you lack practical experience."

"Shut up!"

I dodged two lunges and tossed the third one aside. Instead of taking advantage of his strengths, he stopped again. Another error.

"It's good to hit the head in the game. The soldiers knew better that they were aiming for the center mass. That way, there are fewer chances to miss, and the target loses its purpose, which doesn't help you. ”

"I say, shut up!!" You girl! I'm going to let you entertain the whole barracks!"

"So there were only three people, no, two now."

This guy is trained in the fencing room, so I can walk around the battlefield more. I dodged between the crates and the corpses, and he tried to follow me.

"You're paying too much attention to me, keep an eye on your surroundings."

"You slut! Once I catch you, your friends will let me go and I'll come against all of you! You don't even know who you're messing with!"

My smile. Typical.

"Watch out for his legs," I warned him as I dodged away. As I moved forward and down, the sword slid over my head as Jime slidied

a's gift. Instinctively, he jumped backwards and tripped over the outstretched limb of a fallen comrade.

"I don't mean you. Ah, what a disappointment. Crow is a lot more fun than you, puppet. Maybe I should make a bet?"

"And that's not all!"

"If you look to the left, you'll see that it is!"

The man couldn't resist, his eyes flashed to the left, and at that moment, Isaac lunged at him from the right.

"Oops! I lied," I said, and stopped.

Something is wrong.

Isaac's posture changed. He hunched his back like a beast, his roar and disorderly blows, in his ineffectual slashing, sending red feathers into the air. His clothes were in tatters, and the cold, orderly aura I associated with him had deteriorated.

Like the vampires in the woods of Tillerson's house.

Bloody hell.

I stepped forward, grabbed Isaac by the shoulder, and pushed him away from the crying victim. He turned to face me. I couldn't see any sign of wisdom in his brown eyes. His face was covered in blood. Oh, that's too bad.

"That's enough, control yourself."

"Mine!" He replied with a growl.

He booed, and I booed. Trying to assert dominance? Weak people. Can't even control yourself. Worthless. I'll put him in his place. and non-lethal. Maybe I can't get the attention of the Rosenthal family right now, but if I kill their offspring, I will.

Short.

He lunged at him, and I dodged it. As he glided above me, I stabbed his solar plexus with five paws to stop his momentum. Then I threw him on his back. I aimed at his heart and he grabbed my wrist in horror. My other hand was already outstretched.

I lifted him up, and as his body lifted off the ground, I found the opening I needed. Two claws poked mercilessly into the back of his neck. He stopped.

"Isaac, look at me."

He growled softly, showing me his fangs. Disregard? You can't stand provocations. Two black chitins pierced his spine.

He whimpered.

"Isaac. Look at me. Isaac. ”

"Yes... I am Isaac. ”

He closed his eyes and meditated, and slowly, his body relaxed. The icy aura slowly loses its sourness until nothing is left but perfectly ordered hair.

I didn't move, I didn't move when he looked at me, when his hand grabbed the hand I had on his chest. The intimacy of this moment gave me a special feeling, although I was not afraid. I brought him to his knees. Tonight, our hierarchy is clear.

"Thanks, I want to stand up now."

I pulled him up. Despite his smooth skin and clear eyes, he looks very tired. It is a fatigue of the spirit and soul.

"How did you do that?"

"What?"

"How can you stop it, the great beast, the beast that only needs to rule and destroy. I tried so hard to hear it through my conditioned reflexes that when I succeeded, all I had in my head was screams. Nothing matters except to intimidate and kill mortals. It wants more and more. Only your voice can pierce the veil and silence it. ”

"You just have to remind yourself what your goals are. Our violent side lacks self-preservation. It needs to be reconciled. ”

"Really?" He laughed maniacally and said, "Is this really a part of me?" That thing that only longs for death and conquest? How can you stand it, Ariana, how can you stand its constant whispering?"

"No whispers. I've never had anyone on my head but myself. It's not some mysterious evil entity, Isaac, it's just a part of what you need to control so that it can serve as another tool in your arsenal. I've always been me. "It" has always been a part of me, no more, no less. ”

My companion looked ashamed, as if I had just sentenced him to death.

"What's wrong with him?" I pointed to the fallen leader and wanted to change the subject. "Don't you want to interrogate him?"

"I got a basic understanding of his business model. I don't want to save his life just to end it later. ”

"Then you should drain his blood and let tonight's hunt come to a good end."

"I can't, I ......"

He vomited. Black, disgusting liquid without a hint of fragrance spilled on the muddy floor. I took a step back so as not to stain my boots.

"I can't."

Isaac straightened up and wiped his mouth with a dirty handkerchief. He took a deep breath and spoke to me with an impressively serious look.

"Ariana of the Nilari Clan, I, Isaac of the Rosenthal Clan, declare that your contract has been fulfilled. As a token of my gratitude, I am giving you the prize for this hunt. ”

Magic washed over me, reminding me of my deal with Rose. This is the power of the oath, and in this case, the power of the fulfillment of the promise. A wave of joy rose up my spine because everything was pure and certain.

I found the poor boss who had gone out of business and collapsed overnight. When I lifted him up, I ignored his gibberish and empty promises. Ignoring his cries of fear and pain, I bit him deeply.

I'll feed.

Yes, even in the relative tranquility of my fortress of mind, I could feel the power and the vitality of the vanquished rushing over me together. I could feel Isaac right next to me, respectfully waiting for me to finish. It's empowering, likable, and a little exciting.

I hope his nose is soaked with the stench of blood.

When I was done, I threw the body away.

"I have to go, Ariana. There were so many things to think about and I felt unusually tired. I'll clean it, don't worry. ”

I nodded.

He paused, silently thinking about something.

"You're really good at this, you know?" Become a vampire. Some of us get lost in our own instincts. Somehow, I feel like it's never a risk for you. Seeing you fight so naturally...... Enlightenment. Thank you and wish you all the best. Be sure to write when you have time. ”

I nodded again, and he walked away without looking back. When I was convinced that he was out of sight, I finally relaxed.

"Hey, hey, it's so much fun!"

Damn, I'm drunk again.