#Episode 28
Vasha shouted and then caught her breath. She glared at Todd with narrowed eyes and poked his chest with her finger, yelling.
“I can’t stand seeing you getting beaten up by others! Understand?”
“Van Drake is tough enough to take a few hits. Even my father used to train me like that…”
“I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care! That was your dad, not me as your contractor!”
Vasha covered her ears and shook her head, refusing to listen. Todd was taken aback by her stubborn attitude.
But just because Vasha didn’t approve didn’t mean there wasn’t a way.
When night falls, there will be day.
As a vampire, Vasha was immobile during the day when the sun was out. Taking the excuse of going to the restroom, Todd snuck out of the room and ran off.
“Todd! You’re a liar!”
Vasha’s belated outcry echoed through the inn, but it was already too late.
***
Since Todd ran off during the day, she couldn’t go after him.
Though she could go out with her hood on, it would be disastrous if it accidentally got pulled off.
The only thing she could do was to ask the innkeeper and the people around to keep an eye on Todd and ensure nothing happened to him.
Lenny, who was asked by Vasha, nodded readily.
“Don’t worry, Vasha.”
Lenny, who stayed in the room across from Vasha’s, was a young woman in her mid-twenties with attractive auburn hair. She worked odd jobs in the nightlife district of Noctiluca, earning just enough to get by.
Working in the bustling nightlife district, Lenny naturally roamed around at night and often ran into Vasha.
Previously, Vasha had chased away a drunkard who was harassing Lenny on her way back from work.
Since then, Lenny had been friendly towards Vasha and Todd, even introducing them to other long-term residents at the inn.
Most of the people staying at the inn in the slums were long-term residents rather than drifters. Some even stayed despite having enough money to move to better housing.
Sonya, a woman staying in the room next to Lenny’s, gave a hearty laugh and extended her hand to Vasha.
“I thought you were some weirdo always wearing that hood… but if you helped Lenny, then you’re practically our friend!”
Vasha gladly shook Sonya’s hand. Working in a butcher shop, Sonya’s grip was strong.
Sonya exclaimed in surprise.
“You’re strong! No wonder you can knock out drunks with one hit!”
“You need to have some strength when traveling with a child.”
Vasha replied light-heartedly.
Sonya seemed to take a liking to Vasha. Vasha was pleased because Sonya offered to sell leftover meat from her butcher shop at a reasonable price.
“Kids need meat to grow. The amount of meat they eat during their growth period determines everything.”
“I think so too!”
Meeting someone who shared her views made Vasha very excited. Even Lenny had once commented, “Isn’t that a bit too much?” when seeing Vasha try to feed Todd meat at every meal.
Sonya looked Vasha up and down before asking curiously.
“By the way, why do you always wear that hood? Isn’t it uncomfortable? Do you have a scar on your face or something?”
“Sonya!”
Lenny poked Sonya in the ribs. Realizing her mistake, Sonya raised her hands in apology.
“Sorry, I get told I’m pretty insensitive.”
Vasha didn’t mind. In fact, it was better for her if people misunderstood in this way.
‘As long as they don’t suspect I’m a vampire, it’s fine.’
Vasha shrugged and answered cheerfully.
“It’s okay. I don’t really care.”
“You’re so straightforward! I like you even more now!”
Sonya, Lenny, and the others would scatter to different parts of Noctiluca for work and then return to the inn in the slums.
The news they brought back was varied, and thanks to being invited to these ‘gossip sessions,’ Vasha could learn about daily happenings in Noctiluca without ever leaving the inn.
Vasha finally felt a bit more at ease and sighed with relief.
‘That Todd, he doesn’t even realize how much I care for him and just complains to me every day. He’s so ungrateful!’
Things not going her way and not being acknowledged for her efforts…
Is this what parenting is?
Maybe it is.
Vasha came to a realization.
***
After a few days, Vasha came down to the first floor of the inn, where Lenny was chattering excitedly and called out to her.
“Vasha, did you hear the news?”
“What news?”
“Sir Albert Renfield is looking for a young beauty to keep Count Renfield company!”
“A young beauty as a companion? He’s not trying to find a lover? That’s surprising.”
Vasha responded skeptically. Sonya also sighed and shook her head in agreement.
“You can never understand what handsome men do.”
“Is he handsome?”
“He’s handsome.”
Lenny replied firmly to Vasha’s question. Having worked in the nightlife district and seen many attractive people, Lenny had high standards for looks.
For Lenny to acknowledge his handsomeness meant Albert’s appearance must be quite exceptional.
Even so, Vasha couldn’t understand. She didn’t hide her incredulity as she asked.
“Why would a handsome man go to such lengths to find a companion?”
“Perhaps it’s because he’s not doing that to find a lover?”
“Is there a need to describe her as a young beauty if he’s not trying to find a lover?”
Lenny shrugged in response to Vasha’s repeated questions.
“Well… he could be looking for a woman to enter into a convenient contract with. They say Count Renfield is on his last legs. Maybe he’s threatened Sir Albert, saying he won’t inherit the title unless he brings home a bride! So now Sir Albert is in a hurry to find a woman for a contract marriage.”
“So he’s using the excuse of looking for a companion for Count Renfield because he can’t outright say he’s looking for a wife?”
“Exactly! You’ve got it, Marie!”
Lenny and Marie clapped their hands together in agreement. Listening quietly, Sonya couldn’t hold back her disbelief and asked.
“How do you even come up with such ideas? Did you read that in a romance novel?”
“Mostly from the plays I’ve peeked at from behind the curtains.”
Everyone laughed at Lenny’s response.
It seemed everyone was familiar with Count Renfield and Sir Albert, a prominent family in Noctiluca. Vasha, who knew nothing, asked outright.
“Isn’t Sir Albert Renfield the heir to Count Renfield?”
“He is, but he’s not a direct descendant. He’s the grandson of Count Renfield’s brother? Count Renfield never married.”
“He didn’t marry himself, but he insists his heir must? That’s pretty selfish.”
“Who can understand the thoughts of the high and mighty? And old people tend to get a bit eccentric before they die.”
Everyone nodded in agreement with Sonya’s indifferent remark.
Lenny, resting her chin on her hand, spoke cheerfully.
“Well, I think I’ll apply just to see Sir Albert Renfield’s face. It would be even better if I got chosen as that companion.”
“The condition is that you have to be a beauty. Do you qualify?”
“This bxtch…!”
Lenny and Sonya quickly started bickering. While Vasha laughed, she suddenly wondered if this was the reason why Rasa had sent her to Noctiluca. Under her hood, Vasha’s red eyes grew contemplative.
***
Today was another failure.
After wandering around all day, Todd finally returned to the inn at dusk, dragging his feet.
Back in the room, Vasha was sitting with a serious expression, arms crossed.
Seeing her unusual demeanor, Todd flinched instinctively.
‘Did she find out about my fight with those five beggars yesterday? There were no witnesses, and I made sure to cover my tracks… Or did she discover I hit those thugs on the back of their heads with a brick the other day?’
Countless incidents of mischief he’d committed without Vasha knowing flashed through Todd’s mind.
