Chapter 465: Parasite

The Duchy, for all its vast land, had a sparse population.

Humans played the role of livestock, providers of blood.

With administration, commerce, and military affairs all directly overseen by vampires, humans rarely had a reason to leave their place of residence, and if they did, it was always under a vampire’s supervision.

So if a human was wandering around alone without a vampire escort?

It could only mean one of two things: either they were trusted by the vampires… or they were a fugitive headed straight for the grinder.

“…Ah. You’re returning from the Night Ebb Tide, then?”

The girl milking a cow glanced at me and Hilde with suspicion.

She eyed us uneasily as we approached, and we returned her gaze with awkward smiles.

We had cleaned up to the best of our ability, but after days rolling through the forest, we still looked visibly ragged.

I racked my brain and spat out an excuse.

“Y-yeah, right. We went to the castle because of the tide and got caught up in a wave. There were so many injured that the infirmary ran out of beds, so they told the lightly wounded to head back on their own. See? We even have a temporary pass issued by Countess Erte.”

I shamelessly flashed a forged pass, but unfortunately, to a naive countryside girl, a piece of paper didn’t carry much weight.

“…Just a moment. I’ll… bring some food.”

｢They’re totally on the run. I’ll go ask Senior Viltear at the village. She’s a Neonate, she’ll know what to do.｣

Casting us one last nervous glance, the girl quickly hurried back toward the village, abandoning her chores.

Hilde and I looked at each other and gave a nod.

“Doesn’t look like it worked.”

“Look at her running. She’s sprinting straight to snitch to a vampire.”

“Let’s bolt!”

And we turned and ran.

We also made sure to grab her lunchbox and milk that she left behind.

Munching on a sandwich, I grumbled.

“This place is way too closed off! A traveler asks for help and they report them? Even the Military State wasn’t this bad!”

“Places with fewer people are always more closed off. Anyone who goes out of their way to come to such a place tends to be suspicious.”

“So are we that suspicious?”

“We’ve clearly been sleeping on the streets and haven’t bathed properly for days~.”

“What the…! So we got caught because of you, Hilde.”

“Hmm?”

A sting struck the back of my head.

Hilde had flicked her fingers using Qi and shot it at me.

I nearly choked on my sandwich as I struggled to catch my breath.

“Y-you’ve gotten a bit rough lately…”

“If I were on my own, I could’ve blended in and lived peacefully for three months in that village. Who do you think is making me go through all this?”

“Okay, sure. It’s my fault. But you had to leave the Duchy eventually too, didn’t you? It’s not like escorting me adds that much extra trouble.”

“If that’s how you feel, then let’s part ways here. Live the rest of your life here, Father~.”

“How could I survive in this cruel world without you, Hilde? I still need you.”

My desperate flattery seemed to ease her mood a little.

With a faux stern face, Hilde said.

“We’re close to the border now. Time for the final prep. After today, there won’t be any time to rest.”

“I heard the southern part of the Duchy has more sunlight and fertile land, so it has more humans. Wouldn’t that make it easier to hide?”

“But that also means more Ancillae are stationed there. Especially near the Military State border, Baron Ksere, the ‘Iron Wall,’ has guarded the border for over 500 years. He may be strong, but he’s just an Ancilla, so we can get past him….”

Hilde sighed.

“…But if Tyrkanzyaka truly wants to catch you, she’ll definitely send an Elder to the border.”

“She probably would.”

Vampires are powerful.

Even if just an Ancilla, Hilde—a Star General—couldn’t guarantee victory against them.

But the one weakness vampires have is their numbers.

There are only thirteen proper retainers at most.

Those who can truly wield power are limited to Elders, Ancillae, and Neonates.

This fixed upper limit is why, despite winning many local battles, the vampires were ultimately forced to retreat.

Which means the Elder is likely stationed at the border, conserving strength rather than wasting it chasing across the land.

“If they have an Elder… then on our side, the counter Father prepared needs to show up to even the scale~.”

Hilde subtly pressed me to reveal a hidden trump card.

But what was I supposed to do when I didn’t have one?

It felt like forgetting to prepare a birthday present on an important day.

“Haha… well, it’s just speculation that Tyr is even chasing me. With the rebellion and everything, would she really bother with someone like me? She may have already given up.”

“Is that so? We’ll find out when the time comes.”

｢Or maybe he’s already made sure no Elder can get through? Though with the Crimson Duke still around, I doubt it~. We’ll see when it happens?｣

We won’t.

There’s nothing. Really.

Unaware of my anxious thoughts and uneasy glances, Hilde stretched lazily and mumbled.

“Aaah. Looks like it’ll be another night outdoors. ‘I’ don’t hate camping out, but I’d like to get a proper wash~.”

“Then instead of roughing it, how about we try… ‘parasite lodging’ for once?”

“Parasite lodging?”

I may not have any hidden tricks, but at the very least, I can make sure Hilde, who’s going through all this trouble for me, is well taken care of.

“Matilda. Did you find them?”

“No, Senior Viltear. By the time I got back, they were already gone.”

“Ha… I suppose they were fugitives after all. Ah, didn’t I tell you not to show your suspicion so easily?”

“But I was right, wasn’t I? Isn’t it wrong to let fugitives into the village?”

Neonate of the Blooodleech Coven and wise leader of the Black Valley Village, Viltear, clicked her tongue as she looked at the young girl.

“In such cases, it’s best to welcome them warmly and treat them with hospitality.”

“Why? If they’re fugitives, they shouldn’t be allowed in the village!”

“Calm yourself, child. Let go of your fear and think rationally.”

In other lands, vampires might be feared and despised like mosquitoes or bedbugs.

But in the Duchy, vampires were trusted seniors, protective guardians, and wise teachers.

Viltear, who had lived longer and more wisely than anyone else, calmly explained to the girl.

“If they were truly wanderers, as they said, then the right course would have been to care for them briefly and then see them on their way. We’d show them kindness, and in turn, they’d repay it.”

“But they looked like beggars! You could smell them from ten paces away!”

“I don’t have a nose for scents, so I wouldn’t know. But those who work during the tide are compensated. If they were telling the truth, they’d have had money. And if not, I could always collect blood tax from them.”

Viltear was also in charge of collecting blood tax from neighboring villages.

It wasn’t a formal system, but in tight-knit rural communities, that sort of informal structure often worked better.

Vampires, having no children or emotional bias, delivered fair judgment free from corruption or favoritism.

“But they were fugitives, weren’t they?”

“All the more reason you should’ve brought them to me. We could have assessed them, talked them down, or even fed them well to lull them into dropping their guard before capturing them.”

It might sound gentle, but it was in line with how vampires cared for humans: keep them well-fed and healthy to ensure better blood.

Viltear’s calm warmth was actually cold calculation, but nonetheless a form of benevolence.

The girl, who hadn’t yet learned this kind of warmth, looked puzzled.

“But they’re fugitives… scums of the earth. What if they stole something or hurt someone?”

“Oh-ho. So you were thinking of the village when you acted?”

“Yes!”

It was a childish lie, but Viltear had no way of knowing that.

Not that it mattered.

Calculated or not, the Neonate of the Bloodleech Coven who had led the village to peace and prosperity for nearly two centuries was truly respected.

Everyone relied on her, and she repaid them in kind.

“In that case, even more reason to bring them to me, Matilda. If they were truly scum… they might have harmed you the moment you showed suspicion.”

It might sound cold, but it was the best course of action considering all variables.

It was also a warm, genuine warning for the girl’s sake.

“M-me…?”

“Yes. So from now on, don’t wander alone. You’re lucky they were merely cowardly fugitives. But what if they were murderers or starving beasts?”

“I… I hadn’t thought of that…”

There’s a reason old fairytales are scary, so that children will grow up with caution.

Fear leads to longevity, and longer life means more blood.

As Viltear gently lectured her, she took a leisurely puff from her pipe.

Watching the Neonate exhale a puff of smoke, the girl thought to herself.

｢If she didn’t speak, she’d look just like one of my friends…｣

She looked at the village chief who seemed about her age.

She often felt close to her because of their similar appearance, but whenever Viltear spoke with that all-knowing expression, she was reminded of the vast difference between them.

“Why do you think they ran away, though? So foolish. They must know that once you run, you’re considered guilty.”

Viltear responded with her pipe still in her mouth.

“Not all vampires are like our Coven. Lord Bakuta is a very laid-back person, and thanks to his gluttony-based power, he can quench his thirst with animal blood, so he doesn’t need much from your kind… Not to speak ill of others, but there are some who waste blood on things they can’t even digest.”

Viltear, who had been calmly explaining, suddenly murmured as something occurred to her.

“…You said it was a man and woman, didn’t you? Tsk. That might explain it.”

“Explain what?”

“There’s something about couples. For some reason, those who are or will be with child often try to leave this country. Even at my age, I still don’t understand why.”

Hoo…

A sigh mixed with smoke floated into the air.

The girl, not yet used to the smoke, coughed.

“—That’s what they say, Father?”

“No idea. Just focus on gathering food.”

Beneath the vampire puffing on her pipe of Mana Herbs… inside a cool, dark underground.

Hilde and I, who had burrowed inside using Earthweave, were now looting every supply we could find.