{Okay...What should I do now?}
After weighing his options, Crowley decided to take a chance and went to the slums on the southeast side of the city to find a place to stay for the night.
Passing by the main attraction of the city, the eye was drawn by the massive entrance to the dungeon, guarded by a large group of experienced guards. Despite the late hour, one could see a stream of adventurers entering and exiting the tower.
{Soon I will be among them. Hopefully at that point I will be surrounded by people I can call family.}
Dreaming of a happy future, the corners of Crowley's mouth rose even higher than usual.
- *Sigh* Okay, no need to linger here any longer.
Averting his gaze, Crowley continued on his way to the southeastern part of the city. After 15 minutes he stopped at a fork.
One road led to the left, to the street where the workshops of the Hephaestus family, the most famous and experienced craft family in the city, are located.
The other was heading towards the exit of the city, on the left side of which could be seen the Amphitheatron - a huge coliseum used by the Ganesh family for celebrations and other entertainment events. On the right side were Daedalus-street, the poorest district of Orario, a place called the second labyrinth for its intricacy.
{I think I can find an empty house among these ruins where I can spend the night.}
Deciding that there was no way back, Crowley turned into one of the narrow alleys and continued on his way forward.
........
*10 minutes later*
- Is it just me or have I been here before?
*20 minutes later*
Looking around, it became clear that he could see the buildings around him 3 times. Or were they other buildings?
*30 minutes later*
*Deep in the slums*
{As much as I hate to admit it, I'm definitely lost.}
Hey, you! - a rude voice sounded from one of the many alleys. - I'm talking to you, idiot!
The hope that the insult thrown out of nowhere did not apply to him disappeared as quickly as it emerged. A short, middle-aged man walked straight towards him.
He was chubby, with red-brown hair and yellow eyes along with raccoon ears and tail.
He wore a light-blue shirt, a light-brown sleeveless vest, dark purple cloth around the neck that covered half his right shoulder area while a silver shoulder pad rested on the left shoulder area, blue cargo pants with a brown belt around it, and brown boots.
You could also notice that he had a sheathed sword hanging from his belt.
{Now I definitely have problems.}
- Can I help you with anything, dear...? What's your name by the way?
- It doesn't matter, most likely we won't meet again. Now give me all the money and jewelry you have.
Panic grew in the teenager's eyes.
- Listen, recently a little girl named Lily stole my wallet. So, regardless of my desire, I have nothing to give you.
- Arde....
The bandit standing in front of him clearly did not like this answer. With a loud clang, the sword left its scabbard. The point was aimed at the young man's throat.
- Why are you smiling, brat?!
{Am I smiling? Wow... Father would be pleased. Even in such a situation, our signature smile is still with me.}
- Do you think I wouldn't dare rip your guts out right here?! - the tip of the sword came even closer, - give me your cape, quickly!
Crowley backed away in fear and ran into one of the many walls of Daedalus-street.
- I am ready to give you all my things and even my own hair, but the cape will remain with me. This is the last thing left of my family.
- Do you think that I need your cast-offs?! Among your clothes there is not a single expensive thing... God, I'm not even sure that this strange embroidery on the cloak is worth something. This is the last warning, give up the cape!
{Cast-offs? Although their condition is not perfect, they are good clothes, right?}
- *Sigh* I can't do this.
Without waiting for the end of the brat's answer, the hand of the adventurer in front of him grabbed the edge of his clothing and in one movement tried to tear off the desired item.
Trying to prevent him from achieving what he wanted, Crowley grabbed the edge of his clothes with one hand and the other began to try to hit the robber who had encroached on his things.
But what can an ordinary (in the sense of strength) human boy without a falna oppose to an adventurer who has been at his level for many years?
Intentionally or not, during the short confrontation, the blade touched the boy's upper abdomen, piercing the aorta.
Snatching the loot, the adventurer watched as the weakened, stubborn teenager, leaning on the wall, slowly flowed down to the ground.
- I doubt that I can consider this as a professional courtesy...*cough*
- What the hell are you talking about?
- Nevermind.
Not wanting to listen to the dying ravings anymore, the man disappeared into the dark alleys.
.........
{ I didn't think that a place called the center of the world could be so quiet.}
For some reason, the first half of our house motto comes to mind. "We're all mad here." Indeed, who would have thought that on my first day in Orario I would be stabbed to death by some bandit in the slums. Real madness.
Unfortunately, after the death of all his relatives, he was never able to hear the second part of the motto again.
"So don't lose your smile".
Permanent toothy smile. A family trait, because of which the already few employees of the estate were even more afraid of their masters.
- Even now I don't understand them, a smile is a beautiful thing...
- It's kind of a shame, I thought I'd be able to do so many things when I arrived here.
The vision of the future dead man began to blur.
{I think this is the end, at least I tried.}
Suddenly there was darkness.
.........
*Iosefka's Clinic*
- Oh, yes.... Paleblood....
Through blurred vision, Crowley saw an old man in a wheelchair approaching. Gray hair, an uncut beard, a leather suit and a top hat on his head, but what attracted most attention were his eyes. More precisely, their absence.
Having tried to move his body, Crowley realized that only his eyes remained subject to control.
Despite the patient's protesting glance, the old man continued.
- Well, you've come to the right place.
Yharnam is the home of blood ministration. You need only unravel its mystery.
But, where's an outsider like yourself to begin?
Easy, with a bit of Yharnam blood of your own... But first, you'll need a contract...
{Yharnam? Blood? Contract? What the hell is going on here?! }
Leaning over the owner of pale blood, the old man began to draw something. From fatigue or for some other reason, the future hunter lost consciousness again.
....................
*Unknown amount of time later*
- Good. All signed and sealed. Now let's begin the transfusion. Oh, don't you worry. Whatever happens... You may think it all a mere bad dream...
Only waking up for a moment, Crowley heard the old man's words and plunged into darkness again.
*A little later*
Waking up for the third time, Crowley discovered that he could perceive a strange symbol in the depths of his mind.
Suddenly, to his left, a painfully familiar creature appeared from a huge pool of blood.
A cat's body, black unkempt fur, unnaturally huge red eyes and a predatory, bloody smile reaching to the very ears. Cheshire Cat. More precisely, the most sick and perverted interpretation of it.
Trying to move his still uncontrollable body, he could only watch as the monster was getting closer and closer to him.
And so, when the monster just touched him, the symbol cracked in his mind, and the monster itself burst into flames in a mad fire. It seemed that the sight of his burning body would linger in the memory of the novice hunter for a long time.
(Oh, how wrong he was.)
Immediately after this, strange gray creatures began to crawl out from under the couch, clinging to the unfortunate patient from head to toe. And at that moment, when the "pale little ones" blocked the entire view, the hunter's vision again plunged into darkness.
Waking up once again, Crowley realized that he could control his body.
Without a hint of hesitation, he jumped up and took a sitting position.
{Nightmare? No, I'm still in this place. I need to understand where I am. }
The surrounding interior looked abandoned, with couches and IVs filled with red liquid placed in two rows throughout the room.
{Blood?}
Along the walls there were cabinets with bottles filled with various liquids, exactly the same ones could be seen on the chairs standing by each of the couches.
Suddenly Crowley noticed a strange creature in the distance. A wolf-like monster moving on four legs, vaguely reminiscent of a human, was frightening with its size and wildness in its eyes.
{ Looks like he's coming this way! }
Having once again examined the room, it became clear that there was only one exit and it was behind this beast.
Jumping to his feet, the inexperienced hunter prepared to rush, hoping that the massive size of the monster would allow him to slip past.
{ Now or never! }
With all his strength, Crowley ran. Noticing this, the beast rushed straight at him. A moment later, he felt a strong tearing pain in the chest area, the claws protruding from his chest pierced the hunter's small body.
Without even having time to realize the situation, the unprepared mind began to fade.
{ So... Despite their size, they are not slow at all..}
After which darkness followed.
*Death*