Although still somewhat skeptical of Fars's "good intentions," the female thief resigned herself to her fate, knowing that resistance was futile. She followed Fars into the tent.
The tent, acquired from those noble youths, was a clear departure from the typical adventurer's setup. It boasted a spacious interior; even with six or seven people crammed inside, it wouldn't feel crowded. Thick, intricately patterned blankets adorned the floor, and plush goose-down pillows beckoned one to rest. Everywhere, from the delicate decorations around the tent to the small wooden table and silver tea set arranged neatly, reflected the habits of the nobility.
Fars generously brought out a considerable amount of provisions. Though these supplies had lost their fresh taste during processing, their long shelf life made them invaluable. Even members of prestigious families like the Medici prepared such rations, underscoring their importance for survival in the wild. The variety was impressive, including jerky, fruits, and bread.
Naturally, Fars had no intention of eating; all of it was for the female thief. Repeatedly referring to her as "the female thief" felt inappropriate to him; such a charming woman deserved a better title.
"My lady, if you haven't brought any food, feel free to prepare some of these provisions. By the way, how should I address you?" Fars suggested, as he retrieved cooking tools, knowing that the food would taste better when heated or cooked.
This seemed sincere enough. The female thief, likely lacking any food of her own—evident from her lack of a backpack or any valuables that could serve as storage—didn't hesitate. She took the pot and various provisions from the table and stepped outside. Feeling a bit guilty about consuming his food, she hesitated at the tent's entrance and turned back to Fars, whispering, "Yuna."
Left alone in the tent, Fars sipped a glass of red wine, contemplating the woman named Yuna. Having killed over twenty people without being overwhelmed, he certainly didn't need to eat. Besides, he wasn't worried about Yuna escaping; her poor physical condition would limit how far she could run in the time it took to prepare a meal.
From Yuna's beast-like roars during battle and her unusual green eyes, Fars began to form a hypothesis—she was likely of another race.
The history of other races was equally ancient, passed down from the age of myths. "Those not of my kind are all other races," a great emperor of the Nesser Dynasty once proclaimed. This arrogant statement, which included gods and demons among the "other races," had endured through the ages, not fading away with the end of any era.
Fars pulled out a book titled *The Compendium of Other Races*, which was not thick but briefly introduced the unique races that had appeared on the continent. Naturally, those that had achieved great glory were given extensive descriptions.
The compendium was divided into three main sections: "Humanoid Races," "Half-Beasts," and "Beastmen." The humanoid section primarily covered races like gods, elves, and dwarves, which bore little physical difference from humans. If Yuna belonged to another race, she would likely fall into this category. The half-beasts were hybrids resulting from the interbreeding of various humanoid races and beast races, with humans contributing significantly to the creation of half-beasts. Beastmen were a general term for races that walked upright but retained a beastly appearance. Their only commonality with humans was their disdain for half-beasts, whom they discriminated against and refused to acknowledge.
Green eyes… After a thorough review, Fars's gaze settled on the Wintusiah tribe, a small group primarily found in the southern part of the continent. They lived a nomadic lifestyle but would stay in suitable locations for several years. Their constant migration through the forested southern continent was primarily to evade humans and larger tribes.
The Wintusiah tribe, which revered the black cat as their totem, believed they carried the bloodline of the great cat goddess Wintusiah. It was a matriarchal clan. Upon a female's birth, a priest would perform a baptism to bestow the blessings of the black cat Wintusiah. Typically, only a few female infants would earn her favor and receive her blessings. Those blessed women could draw upon a portion of Wintusiah's divine power during battle, moving with the grace and agility of a black cat, and their eyes would turn green, much like Yuna's.
With this conclusion in mind, Fars was no longer curious about why Yuna was being pursued as a thief. Most Wintusiah tribe members were women, and they were often beautiful. Their cat-like agility made them well-suited for thievery. Tales of someone being seduced by a beautiful woman, only to have their home ransacked, were common. Yuna was likely one such thief, having made a deal that led to her being wanted. It seemed she had crossed a powerful figure; otherwise, no one would spend thousands of gold coins to put a bounty on her.
The aroma of cooking wafted into the tent, and soon Yuna returned with a plate of meat soup enriched with vegetables and warmed bread. As she set the table for two, Fars appreciated her gesture, even though he had no intention of eating.
She was unreserved; after days of being pursued since stealing the wooden box, she hadn't had a proper meal. Usually, she would hastily grab wild fruits to stave off hunger while on the run. The food before her might not be gourmet, but it was a feast compared to what she had been eating. Fortunately, Fars had provided enough food, and Yuna's appetite surprised him. She had prepared enough for two, but now she polished off every last bit.
"Would you like some more?" Fars asked, pouring her a glass of red wine as she finished her meal.
Perhaps feeling guilty for eating so much, Yuna appeared a bit embarrassed. Born into a matriarchal clan, she was naturally straightforward and lifted her glass to drink it all in one go.
Watching her boldness, Fars felt a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of his days teaming up with boisterous adventurers. He raised his glass to drink along with her, savoring the moment.
Finally, Yuna could no longer contain her curiosity and directly asked the calm vampire, "Why did you save me? If it's for the bounty and the wooden box, I can give them to you. Of course, I can't pay the bounty right now."
Given the gravity of her situation, Yuna's serious expression amused Fars. After considering his many enemies, he realized he needed to find trustworthy allies. Generally, humans were out of the question; everyone knew the state of relations between vampires and humans. Yuna's personality suggested they could get along well, and her strength was sufficient. If she were stronger than him, he wouldn't be the one in charge. However, since Yuna mentioned money, it provided an opportunity to recruit this beautiful Wintusiah catgirl.
"Do you think your life is worth more, or is that mysterious wooden box worth more?" Fars posed the question to the unfortunate Yuna.
Initially, she feared Fars might succumb to his primal instincts after eating, but hearing him discuss "price" reassured her. However, she knew her life was priceless and answered without hesitation, "Naturally, my life is worth more."
The conversation was progressing smoothly, and Fars wore a mischievous grin as he said, "As long as I don't kill you, that counts as me saving you, right?"
Yuna reflected on the harrowing night and realized that without Fars's help, she wouldn't have had a chance to escape her pursuers. Although she had attacked him, it was clear he had done something to deter the twenty or so men following her. His flippant remarks were annoying but not entirely off-base. Resigned, Yuna nodded, acknowledging Fars's assertion.
"Then, to repay my life-saving grace, how about you work for me for a few years? Don't worry, the great Fars de Hill will ensure you receive a suitable reward, far better than what you'd earn as a thief." Fars believed that appealing to her interests was a better approach than using force.
Wintusiah women were allowed to venture out only after passing tests within their clan. Yuna had just completed her first year outside; due to her inexperience, she had attracted a particularly troublesome target and was quickly discovered, leading to her being cornered. Fortunately, she had seized a good opportunity to secretly eliminate one of the cloaked adventurers, blending in with the crowd while hoping for a chance to escape. She still didn't know what was in the wooden box, but the intense reaction from its owner suggested it was something valuable. However, after a year of wandering, her earnings were meager, and she felt embarrassed to return to her clan.
Fars's words struck a chord with Yuna. In the Wintusiah tribe, where gratitude was highly valued, working for her benefactor for a few years felt insufficient to repay the debt. The prospect of earning more money made her even more tempted.
Fars noticed the change in Yuna, realizing she was intrigued. Seizing the moment, he continued to dangle the bait, "How about a hundred gold coins a day?"
To enhance the effect, Fars produced a space ring he no longer needed, erased his mental imprint, and presented it to Yuna, saying, "This should serve as a sufficient deposit."
As a thief, Yuna had a keen eye for treasures. She recognized the space ring's value; even a ten-cubic space ring was worth over a hundred thousand gold coins.
Unable to resist the temptation, Yuna's demeanor shifted from indifference to delight as she picked up the ring, nodding eagerly, "So this ring is mine now?"
Fars thought to himself that the ring was merely a deposit. However, seeing Yuna's adorable expression, he decided not to quibble over the semantics, tacitly accepting her interpretation.