Fars circled above the bandit hideout for a while before finally flying away.
The bandits were indeed unfortunate. Although their line of work was fraught with danger, encountering someone like Fars, who hunted them down to their lair, was the worst-case scenario. With over a hundred bandits and three leaders at level seven, they had thought themselves untouchable while robbing the remote towns.
Noble lords typically maintained knights for their own protection and paid little attention to the bandits plaguing trade routes. Occasionally, local lords would send a few soldiers to deal with them, but such efforts were often half-hearted. Bandits were generally more mobile than the soldiers tasked with hunting them down; when faced with a large force, they would simply flee, leaving their hideout to be burned down—an excuse for the lords to claim they had done something without actually solving the problem. Merchants who frequently traveled these routes often had dealings with the bandits, paying them a toll to ensure safe passage.
But now, with Fars having discovered their hideout and wiped out the leaders in one fell swoop, the remaining bandits were left in disarray. When Fars made his move, the commotion was so great that the bandits, witnessing their leaders fall, lost their nerve and fled.
By the time Reni went to rescue the captives, there were hardly any guards left. The bandits had captured many people, some due to their beauty, others for their wealth, hoping their families would pay for their release. Reni, with his noble background, was someone they couldn't afford to kill outright without confirming his identity first. They knew that if he turned out to be someone important, it would be better to let him go than to invite trouble.
It was still early when Fars returned to camp, and both Lilith and Yuna were still awake. Lilith, newly introduced to magic, was eager to immerse herself in knowledge, hoping to master spells as effortlessly as her teacher. She was engrossed in the book Fars had given her, "An Overview of Basic Magic," reading diligently by the candlelight. Meanwhile, Yuna had pulled out the wooden box that had led to her being hunted and was trying unsuccessfully to open it.
Just as Fars returned, Lilith, dressed in her cute nightgown, stood up to greet him before returning to her reading. Yuna, however, showed no inclination to act like a proper attendant. Frustrated by her inability to open the box, she tossed it to Fars and huffed, "There's probably some spell on this thing. I can't open it; you help me!"
"My dear Yuna, is this how you treat your master? Shouldn't you be more respectful when asking for a favor?" Fars caught the box effortlessly, taking a moment to tease Yuna instead of immediately addressing the box.
"You old lecher, I knew you'd take advantage of the situation. Whether you help or not is up to you!" Yuna turned her head away, pretending to be unaffected by Fars's playful banter.
Lilith, still unsure of the nature of the relationship between her teacher and Yuna, sensed it was more than just a typical master-servant dynamic. In the short time they had spent together, Yuna had treated her like a younger sister. Thus, she gently tugged at Fars's robe and pleaded, "Master, please help Yuna!"
Not wanting to ignore his disciple's request, and seeing it as an opportunity to gently reprimand Yuna, Fars decided to oblige. "Alright, since Lilith has asked so sweetly, I'll take the box for now. I'll figure out how to open it and return it to you later."
Upon hearing Fars's willingness to help without conditions, Yuna sprang up and nestled into Fars's embrace, burying her head against his chest. "You bad master! Just helping Yuna with a little task, and you act like you're going to punish me. I've already given myself to you; what more do you want?"
"Of course, I want to keep you forever," Fars replied, gently lifting Yuna's chin and whispering sweet nothings. His hands began to wander, teasingly exploring her sensitive areas.
Lilith, still young, sensed what might happen next and felt her cheeks flush. She stood up, ready to leave the tent, but Fars wasn't comfortable letting her go out alone at this hour. Amidst the heated moment, he called her back. It was unclear whether Fars had intentionally set up the tent this way. Lilith turned her back to the two, covering her head with a blanket to pretend she couldn't see.
As Yuna's soft moans mixed with Fars's occasional growls filled the air, Lilith, despite having received some education on such matters, had only theoretical knowledge of them. She had never experienced anything like this and, out of curiosity, pulled the blanket down slightly to sneak a glance at the two entangled figures.
Having never seen Fars's true appearance before, Lilith was struck by the sight of her handsome teacher. Was this stunningly beautiful man truly her master? While she had hoped her teacher wouldn't be an old man, she hadn't expected him to be so young, even more perfect than her imagined prince. Staring at him, she found herself mesmerized.
Fars and Yuna were both aware of the subtle changes around them, but they hadn't considered how to "handle" Lilith, who was still so young. After all, if Lilith were to provide blood for Fars and be initiated too early, she would become increasingly delicate. Yuna, having experienced Fars's advances, knew that a pampered young lady like Lilith wouldn't be able to handle it.
When Lilith finally came to her senses, she realized it was inappropriate to watch her teacher and Yuna in such a manner. She quickly turned away, praying they wouldn't notice her.
Fars chuckled to himself, thinking that he would wait for the girl to grow up a bit more.
Once satisfied, Fars covered Yuna with a blanket, threw on a loose robe, and began to meditate. After indulging, his energy felt somewhat depleted; prolonged excitement drained his mental reserves. Fortunately, the magic array in his mind continued to operate even without his conscious control. The mental energy expended during the earlier battle and his encounter with Yuna was quickly replenished, and the blood he had consumed helped shake off his fatigue.
When Danis was still in her egg form, she had meditated with Fars daily. Now, whenever he entered a meditative state, she would naturally fly into his embrace, resonating with the magic array in his mind. With Danis's presence, the array operated more smoothly. Fars gradually realized that he was still far from mastering the magic array and understanding the six runes that composed it. In particular, the rune representing the legacy of the Delong family was the weakest link in the array's operation. The three dark runes from his vampire lineage were also difficult to comprehend fully, as he was merely a vampire noble.
For a high-level mage to break through to the rank of sorcerer, one needed to deeply understand the runes learned during their advancement and continue to refine the magic array in their mind. Fars knew that he would need to advance to a vampire count before he could hope to complete this process. As for the rune laws of the Delong family, there was no immediate way to comprehend them, especially since many things had been lost during the family's decline, further contributing to their downfall. It seemed he still had a long way to go, and Fars sighed inwardly as he concluded his meditation for the day.
Unbeknownst to him, Yuna and Lilith had already fallen asleep. Whether Yuna had been disturbed by the noise was uncertain, but Lilith, having experienced considerable mental stimulation, was likely exhausted. Her sweet smile suggested she was dreaming of something wonderful.
To avoid disturbing their rest, Fars took the wooden box outside the tent. The night was growing darker, reaching the deepest point before dawn, when the aura of darkness was most active. Fars relished the moment, releasing his aura and spreading his wings to embrace the pitch-black night.
Wrapped in darkness, his wings began to shimmer with a hint of crimson, the remnants of blood he had yet to fully digest, nourishing his wings. He understood that progress was gradual and required a solid foundation. However, he felt his development was unbalanced; he resembled a mage more than a vampire. Advancing to the rank of vampire count would alleviate some of his concerns.
At some point, Fars lifted the wooden box into the air, using his mental energy to scan it. He quickly discerned that it was protected by a high-level defensive magic array designed to prevent anyone without a key from forcibly opening it. Breaking this array would allow him to use brute force on the box, which wasn't made of particularly rare or sturdy wood. He believed Yuna would be able to open it easily afterward.
Having only recently begun to study advanced spells, Fars tried but couldn't find the correct method to break the array. To surprise Yuna when she woke up, he decided to channel all his magical energy into continuously assaulting the defensive array on the box. This method wasn't particularly sophisticated, but it was a quick way to achieve his goal. Finally, just before dawn, Fars managed to forcefully break the array. The unique carvings and decorations on the box, which might have been part of the defensive array, vanished as well.
Now, the wooden box appeared to be an ordinary box. When Fars presented it to Yuna in the morning, she doubted whether he had swapped it for another. Looking into Fars's clear eyes, Yuna skeptically took out some small tools and easily picked the lock on the box.
However, upon opening it, she was greatly disappointed to find it contained not jewels or precious magical items, but a stack of letters. After reading a couple of them, she finally understood why the nobleman had been so anxious to retrieve the box. The letters detailed the nobleman's collusion with others to embezzle the wealth of the Duchy of Macas. While such matters were of no concern to Yuna in her line of work, they were dangerous if exposed. If Yuna were to sell the letters to other nobles in the duchy, it could lead to a disaster of confiscation and disgrace.
Fars hadn't anticipated that what was meant to be a surprise for Yuna would turn into disappointment. He comforted her, and just then, Lilith woke up, thinking her teacher had bullied Yuna again. With a smile, Fars urged Lilith to get up quickly; they had to continue their journey. He pondered whether it was time to explain some things to Lilith.