IWTRAE Chapter 75

 

 

 

#Episode 75

 

 

Laurus clicked his tongue as he observed Todd’s mood fluctuate with every word he spoke. Todd tried to hide it, but he couldn’t escape Laurus’s gaze.

 

What a stubborn little kid.

 

But what could he do? That very Todd was part of Vasha’s family, the one who had the power to control Vasha’s mood.

 

Anyway, he have to persuade this cheeky kid and end this cold war if he want Vasha to be happy, don’t he?

 

Laurus wanted to fulfill all of Vasha’s wishes and make her happy in any way possible. This was because when Vasha smiled, it felt as if Lucy was smiling too.

 

That alone was enough reason for him to devote his aged body wholeheartedly.

 

Laurus gently tried to persuade Todd.

 

“Even young master Todd must have things you finds difficult to share with Lady Vasha, right? How long do you think this old man will live? If there’s anything weighing on you, wouldn’t it be good to share it with an old man nearing death’s door?”

 

“If that’s the case, I’d rather talk to a corpse.”

 

“A corpse won’t be able to respond, would it? There’s no fun in that kind of conversation.”

 

“…………”

 

Todd’s mouth shut tight. However, unlike before, he didn’t seem angry. Instead, he appeared to be lost in thought, mulling over Laurus’s words.

 

After a long pause, Todd’s mouth slightly opened. But it quickly closed again. After a few moments of inner conflict, Todd finally managed to speak.

 

“… He treats me like a kid.”

 

“Because you are a kid.”

 

“No! I know I’m a kid too. But….”

 

Todd fell silent for a moment, choosing his words carefully. His ears were flushed red.

 

Even though he had opened his mouth to speak, he was still unsure if saying these things to Laurus was the right decision. He worried that he might be giving Laurus something to hold over him.

 

But deep down, Todd wanted to vent his frustrations — the feelings that swirled within him that even he could not fully understand.

 

After much struggle, Todd managed to piece together his scattered thoughts, like fog condensing into coherent words, and hesitantly laid them out.

 

“More precisely, he treats me like I’m weak and fragile. And I find that… so unfamiliar.”

 

Vasha’s words about worrying that Todd might be too consumed with hatred for humans — and that it might make Todd suffer — were so sweet.

 

It was a type of concern Todd had never experienced before. When Vasha showed that concern, Todd felt like he had turned into a sugary candy.

 

Even Todd’s own parents had never treated him that way. Perhaps that’s why, the more Vasha showed him care, the more uncomfortable it felt, like wearing clothes that didn’t fit.

 

After a moment of silence, Laurus asked,

 

“Hmm… Does that make you feel uncomfortable?”

 

“It feels awkward.”

 

It wasn’t discomfort but awkwardness. It was simply unfamiliar, and with time, it would eventually resolve itself.

 

Realizing it wasn’t a big problem, Laurus let out a small sigh of relief.

 

Then, with a sly smile, he brought up Todd’s double standards.

 

“Hmm… But from what I see, you also seem to view Lady Vasha as quite fragile… even though Lady Vasha is a member of the Night Clan.”

 

“That’s because she’s…”

 

Todd stopped himself from finishing the sentence with ‘a subordinate.’

 

Just because they were vampire followers didn’t mean they were friendly to all vampires. Their devotion to their master often bordered on fanaticism, and one never knew when they might suddenly flip their attitude as easily as turning over a palm.

 

Laurus was no exception. On top of that, Laurus was a follower of Menorah.

 

Although he currently served Vasha with utmost respect, there was no telling how he would react if he learned that Vasha was a low ranking vampire.

 

‘He might go on a rampage, claiming it sullies Menorah’s name, which bears the face of his master…’

 

Of course, even a lower-ranking vampire was far stronger than an average human. And a regular human, especially an elderly man like Laurus, wouldn’t pose a threat to Vasha.

 

Still, as Laurus had pointed out with his ‘double standards’ comment, the image of Vasha that Todd had in his head was no different from a small, delicate fruit bat.

 

In any case, there’s nothing good that comes from revealing weakness, so it’s better to be cautious.

 

Not wanting to continue the topic any longer, Todd shifted the subject.

 

“Anyway, keep it a secret from her, got it?”

 

“Of course. Should I swear on it?”

 

“Hmph. Even if you swore on your true name, there’d still be loopholes to escape. No need for that.”

 

A vow on one’s true name grows stronger as the soul grows heavier and more powerful.

 

Unlike a priest swearing to God, a vow on the true name of an ordinary human carried little weight and wasn’t particularly binding.

 

Laurus tried to stifle his laughter at Todd’s attitude, as if he had figured out all the variables of the world, but he ended up choking instead.

 

“Cough, cough.”

 

Turning his head to cover up his coughing fit, Laurus’s gaze landed on the clock. There was still some time before Todd’s usual bedtime.

 

“Well… Since we’ve come this far, why not play a game of chess?”

 

“Hmph. I’ve wasted enough time as it is. I’m not about to humor you any further.”

 

Todd snorted. Then, as if he had no regrets or reason to stay, he stood up abruptly.

 

Laurus clicked his tongue inwardly.

 

Vasha had been worried that Todd despised humans too much, thinking it might be why he avoided mingling with them.

 

But in reality, the real issue was Todd’s superiority complex.

 

Whether Todd was dealing with Count Laurus or a servant, his attitude remained the same — always haughty.

 

In truth, all members of the Van Drake family were like that, so it wasn’t surprising.

 

Todd’s father, the late Duke of Van Drake, had been the same way.

 

He looked down on socializing with other nobles, often skipping most banquets. And even when he did attend, he would act so insolent that he incurred the king’s wrath.

 

Laurus had also acted rather boldly toward the royal family in his day, but he could never imagine behaving like the Duke of Van Drake.

 

Of course, it was only natural for Van Drake to have such a sense of superiority.

 

After all, they had been chosen by the holy dragon to fulfill the mission of defeating vampires. From their perspective, all humans were the same.

 

Whether it was the king or a commoner, they were all just inferiors who had to be protected by the Van Drake.

 

Ordinary people would have quickly taken offense at Todd’s attitude. But Laurus, knowing the backstory, just chuckled instead.

 

And to top it off, he even provoked Todd.

 

“Well, if you’re running away, there’s nothing I can do.”

 

“What?”

 

Todd, who had been about to leave the room, turned sharply, eyes glaring.

 

Laurus shrugged his shoulders with a sly grin.

 

“If that’s not it, then how about one game?”

 

“Fine. If I win, you have to drop that ridiculous meddler act of yours immediately.”

 

Rolling up his sleeves, Todd sat back down on the sofa.

 

Soon, a chessboard was spread out, and the pieces were arranged for the match.

 

Clack.

 

With the first move of the opening, the chess pieces scattered across the board.

 

It wasn’t long before Laurus secured the right to meddle. The victory wasn’t all that difficult.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6: The Pursuit of Lamphas

 

 

<Lullaby, lullaby, my dear baby. Don’t lie down under the moonlight. A vampire might appear and bite your neck…>

 

The soft hum of a lullaby tickled Vasha’s ears.

 

It was a grown man’s voice, yet to Vasha’s ears, it sounded incredibly sweet.

 

It felt so enchanting that she wondered if this was how humans affected by vampire charm perceived a vampire’s voice.

 

“If your neck gets bitten, you’ll never be able to sleep again. Lullaby, lullaby…”

 

The patting hand was gentle.

 

Vasha wanted to see who the person was, but her eyelids felt as heavy as lead, and she couldn’t open her eyes.

 

How much time passed like that? The lullaby and the patting gradually faded away.

 

It was only after the crushing weight that had been pressing down on her felt as though it had been lifted, like a heavy boulder being removed, that Vasha finally managed to open her eyes.

 

The first thing that came into her blurry but gradually sharpening view was the sight of blazing red flames.

 

Vasha was startled as if the whole world were covered in red fire. She tried to spring up, but her body wouldn’t move.

 

It was as if her body didn’t belong to her.

 

As if she were peering into someone else’s memories…

 

Since Vasha had once watched Hudel through a dream, it didn’t take her long to realize what was happening.

 

A dream…?

 

At that moment, Vasha’s body moved on its own.