Oh damn! I guess this was all in vain. They were among the best knights in Florentia. I ran fast. But they were no less fast. I haven't drunk human blood since the last time I drank it from Kyle in Avalon's dungeon. So my running speed was not optimal.
But in my previous life, I had been trained to be undetected and invisible. I tried harder than anyone to get ignored. Now they were all focused on looking for me but I thought I had a skill that could trick them.
I was an expert at hiding. Long ago—when sir Charles looked for me to make me raise my sword at war—he had a hard time finding me. I always reasoned that I was hunting in the forest so I didn't hear the call. It didn't always work, because he finally found me and after more than three years of living as a hunter I finally spilled my blood on the front line.
It was my first and last war, which left me with deep regret. Someone slandered me. I didn't really know the faces of the Florentia commanders who served in Balaghar at that time. I found him almost dead on the border. The horse was dying because the rider had drunk his blood to get extra energy. He was one of the commanders of Florentia who carried an emblem in his hand. His name was Kylus, a member of the Scout unit. At that time no one was there. He gave me an important message.
I took the emblem and the sword to commander Charles. I told him everything he said. I also reassured them with the traits of the Commander Kylus I saw. Pale face, blond hair and tall body. They trusted me and believed that in his final moments—Kylus would give Florentia victory.
But it turned out to be all a mistake. We were trapped, almost all of our strongest people were defeated. I too had to experienced prison and torture. They sliced my body bit by bit just for fun. They didn't have to torment me to reveal Florentia's secrets. I was just a lowly soldier, who happened to have the opportunity to fight alongside the Elite knights back then. After all, Avalon had already won.
I haven't seen Kylus since I joined the Scout unit in my second life. They were information gatherers who moved in silence. They were not Among the famously strong knights. But they had the ability any troops needed, namely intelligence.
I didn't know why commander Kylus betrayed us. I was pretty sure he was dying at the time. But was he just playing to convince me? He chose an innocent knight like me to frame the Florentias. It was a clever tactic, no one would have guessed I was plotting something dangerous. Because I was just a weak Julian Dubois that time.
No one thought that I could cause Florentia's destruction. I may just stay in the main base and be a hunter forever. Unfortunately, in this second life. I could not be like that.
I was on top of a tree. I Know that running away from pure-blooded vampires was pointless. I just need to hide, control my breath and movement and stay alert.
I couldn't be known as a woman yet. At least I have to be a commander before I reveal my real identity. Female knights were also not a few in Florentia. Why did father force me to disguise myself as a man? He didn't want to answer when I asked. As usual, my father refused any objections.
Raphael and his knights seemed to be having fun looking for me. They called me like a naughty cat that runs away when it's about to be bathed.
"Julian....Come on, Julian..."
But since they weren't on alert—it became easier for me. Let them have fun mocking me all the time. I had a more important mission.
"It's been an hour! You can't even find a tiny knight like him!" Edgar seemed annoyed. He was the knight with blonde curls who looked down on me the most than the others. He was against me joining the Jaguar team because he said I was too skinny.
I was satisfied to see his frustrated expression. He must have felt his pride eroded from being tricked by a novice knight like me. I wanted to laugh but I still had to control my breath.
The vampire's entire body was a hunting tool. We could run fast, have sharp hearing, even smell the blood of our prey. When we focused, we could even hear their blood flow. The pentagram necklace my father gave me had helped me disguise the smell of my blood.
I knew that I couldn't rely on my hiding skills alone. I tried to blend in with nature, my movements and breaths will be similar to the rustling of the wind around them. They won't notice it easily.
They had left and were looking for me elsewhere. I breathed more freely and immediately got down from the tree. I had to move places to ensure my victory. I walked leisurely, avoiding stepping on dry twigs or leaves so as not to make a noise. Then I went back to climbing another tree. I sat on its big branch and watched anything that passed beneath me. I chose a leafy tree to cover my presence from their view.
Hmm, what was that? Were they also members of the Jaguar team? uh no! I noticed their uniforms were different. They wore pitch-black robes and gold-colored emblems on their belts.
Avalon!
I gasped and covered my mouth. My heart beats faster. Raphael and the other knights of Florentia probably didn't know about this. There were about five Avalon's walking with watchful eyes below me right now. They were no ordinary pureblood vampires.
I must tell sir Raphael immediately!
I waited for them quite a distance before running to our camp. There I found Sir Raphael still practicing swinging his sword. Luckily he was accompanied by four other knights who looked bored and had lost interest in playing hide and seek with me.
"Sir Raphael!" I shouted.
"You're quite good at hiding. But why don't you just wait for the sun to set instead—" Raphael stopped talking to me.
He drew his sword again. His gaze turned to full alert and the other knights noticed the change in his gesture. They immediately took up their own weapons. We knights are never far from our weapons. Even when we take a shower we will take it with us. Because we didn't know when the enemy would come.
"Julian! Hide!" Raphael reigns. He was my commander, I nodded and immediately ran to find a safe place. I think he already understands why I rushed to him. Or his instincts had been trained for this.
I saw the bushes around us starting to rustle. A strong wind blew around me. I was sure that I was fast enough but the gust of wind was scratching my skin. Blood flowed quite profusely from my arm and I just hurriedly bandaged it with the handkerchief I brought.
I heard the painful moans of the cows we had bought from the villagers a few hours ago. The huge cow that we haven't had time to harvest the blood of was now falling down in a pool of its own blood.
"Oh my, I'm sorry it seems I accidentally killed your dinner," Caesar Petrovsky walked over to the knights of Florentia smiling at Raphael.
He then brought his sword to his tongue and licked it slowly. It didn't take long for him to spit on the ground.
"Disgusting! You Florentias can drink that?" He laughed.
"Petrovsky, the war hasn't really started yet," Raphael reminded him warily.
"I did want to find you, my friend. I heard you make a mess in one of our underground labs..I think you'd be happy if I told you that General Rutherford was furious. Congratulations, you managed to piss us off," he's still smiling.
I held my breath with my heart beating while looking at the sight. Gosh, I didn't expect to meet the elite knight Avalon so soon. I was considered running away if things take a turn for the worse. I knew that Raphael and the others were very strong. But the Avalon they were facing now was also an elite knight. And they only drink human blood. Besides, the sword that the man named Petrovsky was carrying—wasn't that a cursed weapon too?
Raphael hadn't explained it yet. But it looks like we — the cursed weapons wielders— will be able to recognize another cursed weapon. Just like Raphael who immediately knew that my sword Apollon was no ordinary sword.
Raphael ran quickly towards him. He immediately charged towards Petrovsky with full force. I saw Petrovsky a little unsteady but managed to brush it off.
"Raphael... Raphael... .as usual, no further ado," he commented.
"You talk too much Caesar!" Raphael immediately jumped and stabbed his sword. Petrovsky parried it. I saw Petrovsky's attack hit the tree and the wood burned like it had been spilled from lava. When Raphael's sword hit the ground, I felt a small earthquake around me. I also saw the large rock he had slashed, shattered like sand.
The other knights also started to get busy with their respective battles.
"Not too hard to find you, Raphael. We visited a village nearby to eat. It's a shame they don't have many pretty girls, but we can't demand too much. They told us the knights of Florentia were camped near here. I'm lucky because it's your troops, Raphael!" Caesar spoke while exchanging attacks with my commander.
"Caesar! This is not your territory! You must not hunt here!" Raphael swung his sword hard. Petrovsky blocked it but Raphael could create a deep stroke on his temple.
"You guys are free to hunt deer and wild boar, why can't we?" Caesar looked emotional because he was hurt. He became more serious.
I had to be quite far from them. Because I could be injured just because of the slash of the wind from their weapons alone. I felt Apollon screaming behind my back, it may also have felt the aura of those cursed weapons clashing and wanted to get into action. I guess my sword had been unused for hundreds of years in real combat. But I didn't want to risk dying in vain. I was not ready for this yet.
"Because they are not animals!"
This time Petrovsky managed to stab the burning tip of his sword into Raphael's sturdy shoulder. I threw my face away. It's scary.
"Just tell me where is the sword you stole? or I will kill you," said Caesar Petrovsky coldly. He had lost his smile.
But strangely, Raphael, who should have given up hope, is now smiling at him.