Damn, What Kind of Attack Is This!
There was no parent for the girl. No one knew who her parents were. One villager found her lying alone near the village. That was all.
The only thing the girl remembered was the name Lucia. But to them, she was not a pitiful child who had lost her memory. Pure white silver hair. Crimson eyes like blood. A child that resembled the vampire in the legends too much.
They couldn't drive her out of the village or kill her. What if she was related to the seal? If this child died, the seal would have a problem? No one could take responsibility.
In the end, the villagers chose the most cowardly yet safe method. Not killing her, not accepting her. The villagers brought food and firewood every day. Every time, Lucia would say thank you, but no one answered. Because the villagers thought they had done their part. She wasn't starved, wasn't left to freeze to death.
"Don't look."
When adults saw Lucia, they pulled the children closer.
"Why?"
"Just don't."
Children who didn't understand the reason quickly learned. That you shouldn't play with Lucia. That Lucia was a strange child.
And at some point, the words that adults didn't say out loud started to come out. "Monster." "Vampire." "Eats people."
At first, Lucia said she wasn't. She was human, not scary, wanted to play together. She wanted to run around, hide and seek, play with a ball like other kids.
But every time Lucia approached, the kids ran away. In the end, Lucia stopped approaching. She stopped greeting or asking to play.
One day, a loud noise came from the village, and Lucia's memory cut off there again.
After that, she met many strange people. The woman with black-brown hair took care of Lucia without hesitation from the first meeting, and the blunt man had few words but at least didn't look at her like a monster.
But the strangest person was separate. A black-haired boy of similar age. Somehow, she ended up playing ball with the boy.
In the old village, it was just watching from afar. At first, she couldn't even catch the ball properly, but the boy didn't get frustrated and taught her several times. Once she got used to it, he praised her for doing well.
After that, he took her somewhere and let her eat delicious food. When she asked if it was delicious, he nodded, and the boy smiled as if in a good mood. Lucia found that a bit strange. Why was that person smiling because she said it was delicious? But she didn't hate it.
My garlic banishment operation was a complete failure. But since it was eaten deliciously, maybe it had some meaning? No, feeding her garlic bread to banish her and just tasting the taste doesn't mean anything. This won't do.
And when this happens, the most useful thing is a book. I immediately headed to the estate's study.
Continental Race Encyclopedia
History of the Holy Kingdom and Faith
Structure and Flow of Mana
Three Major Misconceptions about Vampires
"Hah, the title is damn suspicious."
I picked up the last book. When I opened the book, the first page had large letters.
First Misconception: Vampires die when exposed to sunlight.
"?" It was different from what I knew from the start? Reading the content, it was true that they avoid sunlight, but not all vampires die from sunlight. Depending on the individual, they might just feel a bit uncomfortable.
I turned the page. Second Misconception: Vampires fear garlic.
"......" Garlic doesn't harm vampires in any way. It's estimated to be a myth born because some individuals dislike the strong unique scent.
So, just eating garlic bread turns her into Lucia. Eating garlic bread. Eating it deliciously.
"Next." Third Misconception: Silver weapons are fatal to all vampires.
This wasn't it either. There are individuals weak to silver, but many are not. Wooden stakes are the same. Piercing the heart kills them, but the book kindly has this sentence. This applies not only to vampires but to most living beings.
"Got it, fuck."
After that, I turned a few more pages, but the content was similar. Most of the vampire knowledge I knew like holy water, mirrors, were just exaggerations or individual differences.
"Help is damn useless."
I flipped through the book casually and stopped at the last part. However, there is one common feature observed in all vampires.
"Oh?" Finally, something came out. Desire for blood.
"......" I closed the book. "Do I not know that?" In the end, I returned to the primitive place. Blood.
The problem was that I couldn't just offer blood in front of Lucia to confirm it.
"Enough, that's it for today." I was already tired from playing with Lucia later than usual.
"I'll think about it tomorrow." As soon as I returned to the room, I threw myself on the bed.
I woke up.
"......" And closed my eyes again. I must have seen something wrong. It's normal for people to see hallucinations when they sleep and wake up.
I counted to three in my mind and decided to open my eyes again. One. Two. Three.
"......" There it is. Right next to the bed. Two crimson eyes were staring at me in the darkness through the pure white hair.
"Aaaah!" I reflexively pulled my body back.
-Thud.
"Ah!" Thanks to that, my head hit the headboard of the bed properly.
"......" Lucia looked at me as if nothing had happened.
"You, what are you! When did you come in!"
No answer. Instead, Lucia grabbed my sleeve.
"Why?"
Lucia looked beyond the open door. It seemed like she wanted me to follow.
I sighed and got off the bed.
"Alright, let's go."
The place I arrived following Lucia was the garden. Unlike during the day, it was a very quiet garden.
Was it not to silently deal with me without anyone knowing?
"So, what's there?"
"...There."
When I asked cautiously, Lucia pointed to the flowerbed in the corner of the garden.
"There?"
-Nod.
When I got closer, something black appeared among the flowers.
-Meow...
It was a small kitten. The guy was crouching with one front paw raised. Upon closer look, there was a small wound near the ankle.
"Injured."
I looked back and forth between Lucia and the cat.
"You woke me up because of this?"
"...Yes."
Seeing a 5 Great Disaster caring about a cat while alive is something.
"Were you worried a lot?"
"...Yes."
Lucia answered in a small voice without taking her eyes off the cat.
-Meow.
I squatted down and carefully picked up the cat. Fortunately, the wound didn't look deep.
"If it's like this, it will heal quickly."
"...Really?"
"Yeah, apply medicine and rest for a few days and it'll be fine."
But how did this guy find it?
At that moment, the cat in my pocket wiggled its body and stretched its front paw towards Lucia.
"?"
-Pat.
"Ah."
Lucia's eyes widened when the cat licked her finger. At first it seemed a bit surprised, then the face that had been hardened with worry relaxed like a lie.
And she gently stroked the cat's head.
-Purr.
This time, her eyes sparkled.
'Wow.'
So cute. The cat was cute, but Lucia was cuter while stroking it and her eyes sparkling.
"Let's treat the wound first."
"...Yes."
I went back to the estate holding the cat in my arms. It was late at night, but getting medicine and bandages wasn't difficult.
-Meow.
After washing the wound and applying medicine, I wrapped a small bandage around the front paw.
"Done."
Lucia, who was watching from the side, stared at the bandaged front paw for a long time.
"It should be okay now."
"Thank... goodness."
We returned to the flowerbed where we found the cat again.
-Meow.
When I put the cat down, after a while, a large cat appeared from behind the bushes.
"Ah."
It must have been the mother. The kitten limped but immediately went towards it.
Lucia watched the two cats disappear into the darkness without moving.
"Shall we go back?"
"...Yes."
The way back to the estate. Lucia, who had been walking silently for a while, cautiously opened her mouth.
"...Um."
"?"
Lucia stopped walking.
"Earlier... sorry for waking you up."
"It's okay, since you'll sleep again anyway."
"...And."
Lucia hesitated for a moment, then said in a small voice.
"...Thank you."
It seems because I treated the cat.
"It's nothing."
I chuckled and moved my feet again.
"But you know."
"...?"
"You... don't have to use honorifics."
Lucia blinked her eyes.
"Why...?"
Why? Because hearing honorifics from a guy who might become one of the 5 Great Disasters is burdensome.
Honestly, I don't know if I should be saying honorifics from now on and begging to be saved.
"Just, our age is similar too. You can call me Rian comfortably."
Lucia looked at me as if thinking for a moment.
"...Is it okay?"
"Of course."
"Then... ."
Lucia opened her mouth for a while. It seemed like she wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
"O...ppa...?"
-Pat.
"Kyahahaha."
Something invisible stabbed in the middle of my chest. This, this guy finally showed his true colors.
Was it to kill people like this?
"O...ppa...?"
-Pat.
"Kyu."
It can even double hit?
Damn, what kind of attack is this!
Time passed quickly. At first, Lucia, who used to freeze when someone talked to her, was now quite familiar with estate life. She still had few words, but now she was starting to talk to me first.
One day.
"Friendship party?"
While having breakfast, my mother brought out a letter of invitation. It was a large friendship party where nobles' children from across the empire gather. Hosted by the imperial family, location the grand banquet hall of the imperial palace in the capital.
I remembered going to small friendship parties a few times, but this scale was the first. The children of dukes and earls are basic, and most children of families with some influence in the empire are attending. Even the prince and princesses are scheduled to appear.
It wasn't bad. After all, when I enter the academy, I'll face most of them. It's better to get acquainted with their faces in advance.
"It's a really big event, huh?"
"Yeah. So, I was thinking, it would be good if Lucia went too."
-Clink.
Lucia's fork fell on the plate while quietly eating beside me.
"...Me too?"
"Yeah, of course."
Lucia blinked her eyes in surprise.
"I, I'm fine..."
"It's not fine."
My mother cut in firmly.
"If we do as you say, you'll stay in the estate forever."
"......"
It was right on the mark, and Lucia closed her mouth.
"Now, we have to meet people and get used to the outside world."
It was true. Right now, since we live together inside the estate, it's okay, but we can't live like this forever. Or, do you know, if human affection is born, will the 5 Great Disasters stop?
"And most importantly."
My mother’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Lucia.
"I want to dress you in pretty clothes."
"......"
Ah. As expected, the real intention was separate.