Jessy's departure didn't significantly disrupt Fars's life; she had merely added a bit of amusement to his routine. Teasing the stubborn girl and occasionally sipping some human blood had indeed been a pleasant pastime. Now that she was gone, Fars found himself feeling quite bored during his hunting meditations.
Fortunately, the arrival of the little phoenix provided him with something to occupy his time. Feeding solely on ice crystals was certainly beneficial for the young ice phoenix's growth. In just over ten days, the little creature had transitioned out of its infancy, shedding the downy feathers it had grown while still in the egg, and donning a more splendid icy plumage. It was undeniable that the phoenix, a creature capable of rivaling dragons, possessed innate abilities that left most magical beasts in the dust. As the leader of all birds, a phoenix that couldn't fly would be akin to a domesticated chicken. Fars had struggled for days to master flight, yet the little one, now adorned with juvenile feathers, took to the skies effortlessly. When it flapped its tiny wings, its speed surprisingly matched Fars's own ordinary flight! It was remarkable for a phoenix barely half a month old to keep pace with a vampire of comparable strength to a count. This realization stung Fars; he had thought his own bloodline was noble enough, yet after only half a year, he had merely become a viscount, while the little phoenix far surpassed him.
What troubled Fars more than Jessy's potential return to the human empires and the risk of her leaking information to greedy vampire hunters was the picky little phoenix itself. Currently, it refused to eat anything but the ice crystals at the bottom of the pond. It turned its nose up at the flesh of magical beasts and merely pecked at wild fruits, only to dismiss them afterward. It was a spoiled child, and poor Fars felt like a helpless father, dealing with a finicky eater while worrying about his dwindling finances. Fortunately, there were still plenty of ice crystals at the bottom of the cold pond, which should last for another year or so. But what would happen when they ran out?
In recent days, Fars had been trying to come up with a name for the little one. Although calling it "little one" felt affectionate, it was a noble phoenix after all. If it gained more intelligence, it might not appreciate such a name. Fars racked his brain for a suitable name, but he was at a loss regarding the little phoenix's gender and its noble lineage. (It's worth noting that creatures like phoenixes or dragons, which possess intelligence comparable to humans and can live for thousands of years, have their own surnames and clans. Their surnames often reflect their status within their communities, with older surnames symbolizing a more noble and untouchable bloodline.)
Fars attempted to communicate with the little phoenix, which seemed unable to grasp human language at its current age. However, it quickly understood gestures and playful commands. Given that he had just lost a companion, Fars finally resolved to give the little one a beautiful name. If he later discovered it was male or if it became dissatisfied with the name as it matured, he could always change it.
"From now on, you'll be called Danis."
Fars said to the little phoenix, which was lazily perched on his shoulder. Unfortunately, it showed no reaction, making the sacred naming moment feel somewhat awkward.
Looking at the little creature, which only knew how to be picky and sleep after eating, Fars felt a bit speechless. It seemed he hadn't enjoyed such a peaceful sleep since waking up. Endless pressures had been bearing down on him. Having dreams isn't wrong, but if they only serve to crush one's spirit before they can be realized, then they become burdens, or perhaps a more fitting term would be "constraints."
He didn't want to dwell on these thoughts; they gave him a headache. He once had a carefree childhood, blissfully unaware of the complexities of power. With an older brother around, he had little to worry about, and his parents had doted on him. It was much like how Fars felt toward Danis now, worried it might go hungry, though he certainly wasn't concerned about it getting cold—after all, it was of the ice phoenix bloodline.
As he looked at the sky, which was beginning to brighten, he noticed that Danis, though still naive, had developed a habit similar to Fars's: being active at night and resting during the day. The little phoenix's mealtime was when it hid at the bottom of the cold pond, where it could frolic freely, unbothered by any dangers. The pond was devoid of threatening creatures, only home to ordinary fish, which Fars allowed Danis to play with. Unfortunately, the innocent fish often fainted from the pressure radiating from Danis. Reluctantly, Fars would collect the fish floating on the surface after waking up, enjoying a barbecue as a pre-meal snack, but he still needed to hunt magical beasts afterward. Given their terrifying presence, it was no exaggeration to say that Fars and Danis's aura had scared off the local magical beasts, forcing Fars to rely on his speed and unpredictable spells to catch the panicked creatures.
After Danis had her fill of ice crystals, she would only bounce around for a bit before settling into Fars's embrace to sleep. Fars appreciated this, as her presence seemed to enhance the operation of the array in his sea of consciousness. Observing the array's workings and energy flow, Fars finally understood why Danis's birth depended on him. The dark flames emanating from her indicated a mutation in her bloodline, one not typical of an ordinary ice phoenix. While meditating with Danis in his arms, he noticed that the dark energy represented by the inverted triangle among the six runes in the array continuously flowed toward her, while she emitted a chilling power that invigorated the two runes representing extreme cold. The other rune, which radiated a dim yellow light, likely represented the blessings left by his own bloodline, the Deron lineage.
Undoubtedly, with the six runes forming the basis of the array, Fars had reached the level of a high-level mage. Although he still lacked extensive knowledge and spellcasting skills, the essence of those runic laws was the foundation of all magic. Lacking profound theoretical knowledge but constantly in contact with the essence, Fars might be better suited to grasp the power of these laws with a pure heart.
With the high-level magical beasts having been scared away by him and Danis, Fars found little opportunity to practice his newfound powers. His most significant improvement was the ability to use ice spells again, and he could wield them with relative ease in the humid environment of the cold pond. However, on land, the climate was unsuitable for casting ice spells, resulting in less than ideal effects. A mage draws upon a small amount of their own power to manipulate the abundant elements in their surroundings; if the environment is not conducive to the spell, the outcome will surely be disappointing.
As usual, after finishing his meditation, Fars returned to the small cabin by the pond with Danis. The area around the cold pond remained as tranquil as ever, with only the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. Having spent so much time here, he had grown somewhat immune to the scenery. Although it was still pleasant to look at, Fars no longer felt the same enchantment he had when he first discovered this place. He pushed open the door to the cabin, but before he could fully enter, an ominous feeling surged within him, prompting him to retreat just in time to avoid a sudden flash of cold light.
Through the now-open door, Fars caught sight of his assailant—a thief armed with a crossbow, coldly staring at him. With his heightened senses, Fars immediately recognized the intruder as a high-level thief. No wonder he hadn't detected anyone's presence before; the thief had hidden himself in his cabin. Thieves, especially those of high rank, could easily erase their tracks, making it nearly impossible to spot them unless one was also a thief.
Uncertain if others were lurking nearby, Fars hesitated to act rashly and reveal his strength. He retreated to the edge of the cold pond, focusing intently on the formidable foe before him. The sky was just beginning to darken, and he was at a disadvantage; comparing speed and agility with a high-level thief was not in his favor.
However, it seemed the thief was far more interested in Danis, perched on Fars's shoulder, than in Fars himself. Perhaps confident in his own abilities, the thief did not immediately attack again but instead said with interest, "Your reflexes are quite sharp, but you're just a slightly stronger viscount. You might as well accept your fate and die. However, I'm quite intrigued by your little bird. Tell me what it is, and I might make your death a bit more merciful."
"You all can come out now. You're just a vampire viscount. That girl who spread the word exaggerated your strength to the point of being able to wipe out a team of high-level swordsmen. Ridiculous! I was hoping to hunt down a pair of fangs from a count to craft a pair of daggers. What a disappointment," he shouted into the forest, clearly expecting more people to emerge.
Seeing the thief's demeanor, Fars suddenly realized just how much Jessy must despise him. She had summoned such a formidable group of experts. They likely believed they were facing a vampire count. Although a vampire count was only a level seven practitioner, capturing or killing one required several individuals of equal strength. Vampires were not foolish; they knew when to flee rather than engage in a fight to the death.
Unfortunately for them, Fars would bring them disappointment mixed with a hint of surprise. As a mere viscount, the presence of these level seven individuals was somewhat overkill. Being able to easily evade a high-level thief's ambush would elevate Fars's reputation. However, if a level seven thief, a level seven swordsman, and an equally skilled archer couldn't handle a vampire viscount, the story would likely become a popular subject for bards.
Yet Fars did not feel as relaxed as they did. The strength of the group before him was indeed formidable, and he found himself somewhat overwhelmed. Not wishing to entertain these laughing humans, Fars spread his magnificent wings and retreated to the center of the cold pond. Here, he would have the advantage of darkness.