Coy's room, 7 pm.
Coy slept peacefully before suddenly waking up feeling groggy, with a damp shirt. The last thing he remembered was the drop of Eoghan's blood entering his heart, after that, it was all black. He probably keeled over during the ceremony.
Somewhat, he was overflowing with strength, unlike before where his strength was around a squires who had just started refining their body with ether. But now, his strength had reached a half refined squire's.
This was one of the advantages that higher species had. Unlike humans, vampires at birth had more physical strength and were more attuned to cultivating mana or ether. A vampire who still had not started their ether cultivation that was related to physical prowess rather than mental prowess, which was mana's only, were more powerful than a human who was on their initial stage of ether cultivation, which was enhancing their body with the energy called ether.
A vampire's body was already powerful, and so, it will continue to get stronger as time goes on. One of the traits of vampires was that the older they were, the more dangerous they are.
Coy, unlike in mana cultivation where he was at the apprentice stage, had still not begun his journey in ether cultivation. But from his memories, he could come to the conclusion that his father was training his body through physical exercise, such as weight lifting, running, sparring with the sword and other kinds of activities so that he could use ether, preferably when he gets to the union. His father had probably planned this out a long time ago, maybe before Coy was even born.
Cultivating mana and ether to become a magician and a knight was not that easy, but if one were to do it, they will be above their peers by leaps and leaps. And that was Coy's ambition.
Clenching his small hands, he thought, 'The rampaging essence of the king's blood must have subsided, how did I faint though? Never mind that, I'm soaked in sweat and I need a wash.'
As he was about to get down from the bed and go to the bathroom, his hand touched another. He looked at whose hand it was, and saw Luna sitting on a chair beside his bed, sleeping. Looking at her face that was a byproduct of Melania's, Coy patted her head.
Disturbed by Coy's hand, she started to wake up.
"How was your sleep, Luna?" asked Coy.
He could guess why she was here. Considering she is older than him by 6 years, she had already been blessed by the king. The blessing might look mild from an outsider's perspective, but the vampires who went through it know the pain that was associated with it.
The blessed's blood, and the droplet, inter-mesh together as the blessed's body is overwhelmed by the invading blood. At that stage is when an excruciating pain descends upon the blessed. That is why Coy thought she was here to be of comfort for him because she experienced it beforehand.
Luna wiped her eyes as she glanced at the window behind her before she froze. She hurriedly pulled out an analog pocket watch out of the pants she was wearing and eyed the time, 7:05 it read.
She opened her mouth in panic as she said, "Headmistress Caesy had been waiting for you for a day! I have never thought you would be sleeping for this long. I'm going to inform mother and father, while you go and prepare yourself to go to the union academy."
She had come here around the afternoon to check up on Coy, before sleeping out of mental exhaustion, as she was awake the whole of last night after the ceremony. Although vampires could go on for months without sleep, if they stressed themselves for a long period of time, they needed to rest their mind through either meditation, or sleeping.
Luna never intended to sleep, but her mind took a toll on her. The main reason she was like this was because she knew how torturous it was to be blessed. She wanted to stay beside Coy and solace him after he woke up, what she didn't anticipate was that for him to be comatose for almost a day.
As she was about to get out of her seat, Coy suddenly said, "Thank you."
Honestly, he thought he didn't deserve the love of this family. He grew up in an environment where he was prone to cold shoulders. His servants on earth might have respected him out of hierarchy, and his friends respected him out of friendship, but never was he loved by how the Blake family does… Except for his previous late mother.
Luna was caught off guard by Coy's sudden gratitude, and she almost punched his head because of the cringe feeling creeping all over her, but she stopped because of the state he was in. He might have recovered by now, but it still was not nice to punch someone who was bedridden a few hours ago. That was what she at least thought.
She retreated her hand back and said, "Okay okay, just get ready. Father said you will be leaving as soon you wake up, even if it's midnight!" and stormed out of the room.
Seeing her storm out the room, Coy was reminded of his friend's nephew's girlfriend. One time he chanced upon them cuddling with each other, and when the girl saw him, she quickly ceased what she was doing and stormed out of the house all together. The embarrassed boy just laughed awkwardly.
In any case, it was time to check upon the old man inside his heart, {Chóros?}
{What?}
'Hmm, something was off with his tone,' thought Coy. {What happened?}
Chóros was silent for a moment before he said, {Eoghan discovered me.}
'What?! Is this why he asked me to not talk to him when the king appeared in the hall? But how? Even father couldn't detect Chóros.'
{Can you elaborate?} said Coy as he got up from his bed and started to prepare himself.
{Ahem, here is how it went. After Eoghan gave you the blessing and started to fall back like a helpless fool, the bastard pulled the whole castle into an enclosed dimension where time was moving at a rate so slow it could be said to have stopped, making everyone halt. You should have seen your face while you were sinking downward, frozen. Anyway, we had some bonding time, and he let me off the hook.}
{What bonding time?} Coy ignored Chóros's attempt to taunt him. He could sense that damn cube was hiding something from him.
Chóros was prepared for that as he replied with ease, {About you getting killed or not. The bastard knows who you are since he read your memories. But you are safe now, we had a deal, and I also ripped him off some pretty good artifacts that will help you for a long while.} Chóros boasted with glee. Looking back at how easily he convinced Eoghan, even he was surprised by it. He thought of just giving it a chance, and it worked.
He added, {Don't ask about the details of the deal, it's best that you don't know of it now since it will only bring you unnecessary trouble, but don't fret, you will be grateful to me abour it later. I can only tell you that Eoghan was my student back then, and we have some history between us.}
Coy did not believe one bit he said, but what could he do? He can't torture the information out of him, since it meant he had to gouge his heart, which was not a convenient thing to do so. He just hoped that some of it was true.
The real problem was Eoghan discovering his identity and Chóros. Coy had to take some countermeasures to avoid this kind of situation happening to him again. The only reason he was spared this time was due to the king being Chóros' former student, and whatever proposal he had to offer.
He was done with his shower as he dressed up with clothes that were neatly folded and placed on a chair. He then headed down to the moon castle's Foyer. Furthermore, he noticed that he was back home, possibly carried by his Father.
***
In the foyer, Athan was having a conversation with Caesy.
"Haa… Who would have thought it would take him this long to wake up. Sorry, Caesy, for the delay," said Athan with a sigh.
After he took Coy who was unconscious when the king finished the ceremony, the king forewarned that Coy might be in a coma for a bit longer than the usual since he gave him more essence than needed because he said that he developed a liking to Coy. 'When did he even get the chance to meet and favour Coy, his majesty's mind sure works in an enigmatic fashion.'
Caesy waved her hand off and said, "It's fine, I have some business I need to attend today in Port Arveich, so it works out for me."
Port Arveich was the capital city of the Biskar kingdom.
Athan nudged the spectacles on his face that was a magic artifact permanently enchanted with the tier 6 appraisal spell. "Oh, news has reached me that the wandering angels will be hosting the Ancient vow's story in one of the theaters there. Are you going to watch it?"
Caesy placed her hand on her mouth in surprise. "You know about the wandering angels? I thought you were all about reading books, and researches, I didn't expect for you to have developed a hobby in watching theater plays."
"It is not me, but Melaina who is into that."
"Ah I see. Well, that is not my destination. I'm heading to the magic council branch in the noble district there."
As Athan was to reply, he saw Coy heading down from the stairs with steady posture. "He is here, you should call for Aelfryn while I have some time with him."
Caesy nodded at him as he walked towards Coy. He could feel confidence from how the boy walked, which was a good sign that showed he was ready for the new lifestyle he will be living in.
"Good evening father, where is mother?" greeted Coy.
"Good evening, I believe your body is beyond alright, judging from your face. As for your mother, she is heading downstairs…"
Athan trailed on his sentence because Melaina was already walking down the stairs, right after Coy. "Speak of the devil," said Athan.