Eimme swung the wooden sword in her left hand to her right. The wooden blade moved through the air, leaving a dark streak behind it. Cladia countered the attack with her own wooden sword, blocking the strike to evade. Taking advantage of the small opening created in Eimme's movements after the block, Cladia swung her sword vertically. Eimme easily dodged this attack and gently struck Cladia's back with her wooden sword. The woman fell forward to the ground, sweating heavily.
"You've improved a lot, Cladia. I've been training you for about a month now, and so far, you've done very well. In fact, it's fair to say you're exceptionally skilled for someone with only a month of sword training."
Eimme extended her hand to the woman.
"Thank you. I'll do my best," Cladia replied.
"Good."
The two of them were training in the practice hall of Eimme's castle. Emu entered the room, wearing a maid's uniform. She carried a tray with a pitcher of water and two glasses.
"My lady."
"Oh, thank you, Miss Emulie," Cladia said.
She took a glass from the tray, poured herself some water, and drank. Then she filled the other glass and offered it to Eimme.
"Cladia… You don't need to address her like that. Just calling her Emu is enough."
"No, no, I can't do that. Miss Emulie is your sister, after all. Besides, she's helped me a lot in adjusting to my new life."
A small look of pride appeared on the blonde maid's face, while Eimme looked slightly uncomfortable. She accepted the glass of water from Cladia.
"…"
"That's enough training for today. You can relax now."
"Ah… There's something I've been meaning to ask for a while now…" Cladia's voice was hesitant, and her face reddened. An awkward atmosphere filled the room.
Suddenly, a human silhouette emerged from the floor behind Eimme. At first, it appeared as a pitch-black shadow, but then its human form became apparent. However, there were noticeable differences: the figure had pointed ears and two sharp fangs protruding from beneath its upper lip. It was a vampire, clearly once human but turned into a creature of the night.
The vampire man's hair was pure white, and his eyes were a piercing orange, filled with a predatory intensity that made it seem like he might leap at any moment to tear someone's throat apart. He knelt behind Eimme, his face directed toward the ground, avoiding eye contact with anyone.
"Lady Eimme, I've completed the investigation you assigned to me. I've uncovered some important information," he reported.
Cladia watched the sudden event in shock. She had been living here for over a month, yet she had never seen this person before. Moreover, he had emerged from the floor—an astonishing sight.
Eimme and Emu, however, appeared unsurprised. They simply listened to the man with focused attention.
"Speak," Eimme commanded. Her expression had turned serious, the cheerful demeanor from moments ago replaced with a menacing gaze.
"Yes! The person who attacked you and Lady Cladia works for Charles Marlett, the head of the Rizek Kingdom branch of the BlaBla organization. He must have ordered the attack. I've also pinpointed their current locations. They are in the dungeons where you rescued Lady Cladia."
"What sort of activities does this organization engage in?" Eimme asked, her tone sharp. Cladia looked tense, her gaze fixed on the floor.
"Their primary income comes from drug trafficking—producing and distributing narcotics on the streets. Their secondary activity is slave trading, primarily targeting non-human races. Most of their victims are elves and harpies."
"W-what was their leader's name again?" Cladia asked, her voice trembling.
Eimme was surprised by her question.
"His name is Charles Marlett, my lady."
"What color was his hair? It wasn't… r-red, was it? And his eyes? Tell me about his eyes!" Cladia's entire body trembled, her hands shaking, and her eyes welling up with tears.
Everyone in the room, including the vampire man, was taken aback. Eimme quickly moved to Cladia's side and embraced her, attempting to console her. She didn't understand why Cladia was so upset but focused on comforting her for now.
"Y-yes, my lady. As you said, his hair is red, and his eyes are blue," the man confirmed, stammering slightly in his surprise but quickly regaining his composure.
Cladia's tears began to flow freely. Her body shook violently, and her legs gave out as she collapsed to her knees.
***
A young girl with striking red eyes and black hair, her appearance unusual by human standards, lay on a futon in a modest cabin. Though not luxurious, the cabin was far from dilapidated. The girl, no older than thirteen, appeared small and frail even for her age. Beside her sat her friend, chatting happily.
The boy's appearance was equally striking. With vibrant red hair and piercing blue eyes, he possessed a look that could unsettle superstitious people. His cheeks and the bridge of his nose were lightly flushed. He seemed to be about fifteen years old, sitting cross-legged at the edge of her futon while gazing at the stars visible through the cabin's window.
The two friends were happy. Then, there was a knock at the door. It opened gently to reveal an elderly man with white hair and a warm smile.
"Charlie, let's go. It's time to leave."
"No, I'm staying here tonight," the boy replied.
"No, we're going home. Besides, you'd only burden Cladia. This small cabin can't accommodate two people overnight."
"Pleeease," Charlie pleaded, trying to win the old man over with a sweet expression. But it didn't work.
"No means no," the elderly man insisted.
Cladia watched the exchange with a smile. After saying his goodbyes, Charlie left the cabin with the old man. Cladia lay back down on her futon and drifted off to sleep.
Some time later, a sharp knock on the door woke her up.
"Who is it? What do you want?" she asked groggily, her voice barely audible as she struggled to wake up fully.
"It's me, Dia. Come outside?"
"Oh, Charlie, it's you. What are you doing here at this hour? Didn't you go home with your grandfather?" The sun hadn't risen yet; the outside was still cloaked in darkness.
"Forget that. I want to show you something. Come with me," Charlie urged.
"Alright, alright." Cladia got up and opened the door. In front of her stood Charlie, his cheeks flushed and a wide grin on his face.
"Come on! Follow me!" he exclaimed with excitement and joy before running off.
Cladia followed him. Together, they climbed a hill behind the small village where her cabin was located. At the summit, they found a small blanket spread on the ground with two glasses and a pitcher filled with a yellow liquid—lemonade, it seemed. There was also a bouquet of handpicked flowers, and a small torch illuminated the area, creating a pleasant atmosphere.
Seeing this, Cladia blushed. Her hurried pace slowed to a calm walk. Charlie seemed similarly affected, his own steps slowing as they approached the blanket together. They sat down. Charlie hesitated briefly before picking up the left glass and pouring lemonade into both glasses. He handed one to Cladia.
They drank, talked, laughed, and enjoyed each other's company.
As the sun began to rise, the cliché romantic moment reached its peak. Charlie turned to Cladia.
But just then, something unexpected happened. Cladia started to feel weak. Her head spun, her stomach churned, and she lost her balance. Her vision darkened as she called out Charlie's name. Charlie panicked, trying to help her.
Then, nothing. Darkness. Only muffled sounds remained.
When Cladia regained consciousness, she slowly opened her eyes. Her mouth was bound. The place she was in was strange, foul-smelling, and dark. She could barely see her surroundings. The floor was covered in straw and mud, which clung to her body. The atmosphere was oppressive, making it hard to breathe. The air was filled with unsettling noises—moans of pain, cries of pleasure, and others of boredom. And then there were screams, all unmistakably of pain.
Footsteps approached. A beam of light drew closer. A half-naked woman stood before the cage, holding a candle. She brought the light closer to Cladia's face.
"Ah, you've finally woken up. You've been asleep for quite some time. Good, good!" the woman said with a smile that seemed warm and friendly.
"Mhm! Mmh?" Cladia tried to speak, but the gag in her mouth muffled her words.
"This will be your new home from now on. I wish you happiness in your new life. Ahh... Your eyes are really beautiful. There are people who would pay a fortune just for those red eyes.... You're special, honey. You have giant blood in your blood as well as human. One of your parents must be a giant. That's what gives your eyes their color. They're beautiful, really. You'll make good coin. Hmm... Maybe I'll sell your eyes separately." the woman said before walking away with a smile.
Cladia shouted and tried to call out after her, but it was no use.
Her face fell. She curled up like a cat on the dirty floor. She tried to sleep, resisting the haunting sounds that filled the incomprehensible space she was in. It didn't work.