"Hah!"
"Hah!"
"Hah!"
Inside the training room, a pale-skinned boy swung his wooden sword tirelessly, his movements sharp and disciplined.
He had been practicing for the entire afternoon, sweat soaking through his clothes. With each swing, a tempting thought crept into his mind—Why not just give up? He had enough wealth to live comfortably without ever lifting a finger. His family's businesses ensured he would never go hungry, never have to fight for survival.
Yet, every time that thought surfaced, his sword had already cut through the air.
After what felt like the hundredth—or maybe the thousandth—swing, Ryu finally stopped. His breathing was heavy, his arms sore, and his stomach… painfully empty. He glanced at himself in the mirror; his complexion had returned to its usual pale but healthy shade.
Damn. Hungry again.
Despite the exhaustion, his efforts weren't wasted. His experience had risen from 47% to 76%, and his basic swordsmanship proficiency had increased by another hundred points, reaching a total of 3,850/10,000.
Vampires really do grow stronger at a monstrous rate.
If his past self had indulged more in blood, he would have already evolved into a mid-tier vampire by now. But his restraint had been absolute. His ancestors, the Ikano family, had long suppressed their bloodlust to coexist with humans, relying on controlled doses of animal blood to survive. Over generations, their bodies had adapted, allowing them to subsist on human food.
But now? Ryu had chosen to break free from that restraint.
"Young Master! Dinner is ready!"
Mia's voice rang through the halls.
Ryu wiped the sweat from his forehead and made his way to the dining room. From what Mia had told him, his "parents" still hadn't returned. This meant that the head maid, Gray, had only prepared a meal for him. Despite their wealth, wastefulness was never tolerated in this household.
As Ryu sat down, he noticed Gray observing him closely. Her gaze wasn't one of concern, but of curiosity—as if something didn't add up.
A child as young as Ryu shouldn't have returned alone. It was only natural for her to wonder why his parents weren't with him.
But instead of voicing her questions, she remained silent.
She was a disciplined woman, after all. The Ikano family had once saved her life, and she knew her place well.
After finishing the meal, Ryu returned to his training. Unlike before, he didn't intend to rest at night. Previously, he had kept a human schedule to appear "normal," but now that he had abandoned that pretense, he saw no reason to hold back.
But before continuing, he needed to feed.
Ryu stepped into the backyard, where the mansion's livestock were kept. As soon as he entered, the animals grew restless. The memory of what had happened to the black horse earlier that day was still fresh in their minds. They trembled in fear, their instincts screaming at them to flee—but they were chained, unable to escape.
A small white lamb, unaware of its fate, was the one Ryu chose this time.
One minute later…
Ryu walked out of the backyard, his face slightly flushed, feeling rejuvenated. Behind him, the little lamb lay on the ground, its eyes dull and lifeless—not from harm, but from sheer despair.
Not far away, the black horse from earlier watched the lamb's misery and let out a low snort.
"Tch. Weakling. One minute and you're already done for? You need to toughen up."
Unaware of the silent conversation between his livestock, Ryu returned to the training room. This time, as he gripped his wooden sword, he felt noticeably stronger.
As expected. Nighttime really does suit me better.
With a sharp exhale, he slashed forward. The difference was immediate—his speed, strength, and focus had all increased significantly compared to daytime training. It was as if his body had been injected with pure energy.
If I had trained at night from the very beginning, I would have already surpassed basic swordsmanship by now.
Meanwhile, Mia had just finished cleaning up. As she passed by the training room, she heard the rhythmic sound of sword swings and paused.
Young Master is still training? This late at night?
Curious, she carefully pushed the door open just a crack—and sure enough, she saw Ryu, completely immersed in his practice.
A soft smile tugged at her lips. He's really dedicated…
But inside the training room, Ryu had already sensed her presence. His sharp instincts—enhanced by Observation Haki—kicked in immediately.
His movements slowed. His grip tightened. His mind raced.
Why is she spying on me?
He had originally assumed Mia was just an innocent, playful maid. But now, doubt crept in. Was she watching him out of genuine curiosity? Or did she have another motive? Was she like Nancy—hiding her true intentions?
Was she after his family's wealth? Or something else?
His gaze turned cold.
A few minutes later, Mia finally left, and Ryu forced himself to shake off his suspicions.
Calm down. You're overthinking this.
Half an hour passed, and to his surprise, Mia returned. But this time, she wasn't sneaking around—she was carrying a tray of food.
She carefully placed it outside the training room before leaving again.
Ryu hesitated for a moment, then walked over. On top of the tray was a small note:
"Young Master Ryu, if you get hungry after training, you can eat this. Just leave the tray here—I'll collect it in the morning. ^▽^"
A small, cute doodle accompanied the note.
For the first time in a long while, Ryu found himself smiling uncontrollably.
Maybe I'm not as alone as I thought.
That night, after finishing his training, he ate every last bite of the food Mia had prepared. By the time dawn approached, he was fast asleep, finally allowing himself some well-earned rest.
The next morning, Mia arrived at the training room's entrance and found the empty plate.
A pleased smile crossed her face.
She didn't wake Ryu.
After all, she knew just how late he had stayed up training.