It takes another three days and nights to approach the location where Perideen heard there was a potential Bloodfiend sighting. Checking Mephis’s map in my pocket, I see that we’re going to a large town named Tosa. My father has drawn a large tombstone as the marker for the settlement, and labeled it “dangerous?”. It seems that the place Perideen has brought us too will be a hazardous venture. As the sun begins to fall from the sky, and the soft warmth of the noontime fades to chill evening, we start to see the tips of buildings in the distance.

Compared to Sines, it’s certainly an improvement. If Sines is a blip on the map, then Tosa is at the very least, a footnote. The buildings are larger, and if I had to hazard a guess, at least from the front, the town must be capable of supporting at least a thousand people. Maybe several thousand, although I’m not very good at calculating such things. My count is probably off because most of the buildings are less than three stories high. It’s hard to tell exactly how many people can fit because one skyscraper on Earth could fit an entire village inside, but everything here is so spread out.

“Stay close to me. The influence of a new Bloodfiend infestation can spread like wildfire if its matured.” Perideen reminds me. While I asked him what exactly made Bloodfiends so fearful, he simply replied that there are many different kinds and each one is different. He didn’t want to give me the wrong idea without knowing what exactly we’re dealing with, if there even really is a Bloodfiend in Tosa. Regardless, he made sure to emphasize that a lot of people paid the price of ignorance with their lives when the servants of the Blood Witch are not caught before maturing. Even still, since the kingdom of Gaisha has been in decline for some time, and due to the impending Holy War with Lissel, people are not giving matters such as this the proper attention. As such, Perideen has decided to investigate the reports independently, even if most people have dismissed them.

Hmph, are Bloodfiends really that bad? Mephis would never willingly do anything evil. The only time he ever killed was to protect me or get us food. Who is this Blood Witch anyway? First her, and then Lissandrei, the Ice Witch, with Glacia. Is everyone haunted by some b*tch witch or another? Maybe this world doesn’t need such creatures…when I’m older, I’ll make it a point to get to the bottom of this!

We approach the town gates which are made of some dark, rusted metal. The wooden walls are formed from logs stacked on top of each other, and are about twice as tall as my head, forming a decent barrier between Tosa and the outside world. It’s certainly better than what Sines has, although still, I doubt it would hold up against a determined enemy. A powerful mage could probably burn their way through, or use Gust to throw themselves over the top.

“Business?” The guard at the gates enquires. Though he doesn’t seem that interested in us, he still observes us closely. Indeed, when he sees the short sword, sheathed on Perideen’s back, he gives us a second lookover. “You’re coming in awfully late. Looking for a place to spend the night?”

“I’ve heard that there are reports of a Bloodfiend in these parts. Missing people during the Blood Moon and such?” Perideen wastes no time jumping into interrogating the guard. Fortunately, the man doesn’t seem to mind.

“Heh, a few slave-girls escape from their pens and suddenly everyone is crying wolf. They probably tripped and broke their necks in the woods. Don’t tell me that you’re also trying to study the infested bloodsuckers? You don’t look like a student…” The guard leans in and stares into our faces long and hard. But after a moment, he sits back. “As if there really would be a Bloodfiend in Tosa. Hah, whatever, if you want to search for ghosts, that’s your business. Move along, I have to close the gates at sunset now. Bloody pointless mess.”

Student?

Was someone else here looking for Bloodfiends?

Don’t tell me…

“So, it’s true? Two girls went missing last week during the last Blood Moon-” Perideen starts to continue his interrogation, however I quickly shove him aside. Well, I try to push him away, anyways. Like Romy, Perideen is pretty much an unmoveable object when he wants to be.

“Was someone here studying Blood-locks? Did she have white hair?” I eagerly enquire and the guard smirks, tapping the butt of his spear on the ground. “A half-wraith?”

“Half-wraith? Yea…now that you mention it, that might have been it. Dunno, but couple of the other guys got asked some weird questions a few months ago. Thought I’d seen it all, but first-time hearing about someone dumb enough to actually seek out the bloodsuckers. Must’ve been one of those flunkies who wants to join em.” The guard says some things which normally I’d beat him for, but since I don’t want to start anything, I let it slide. “No one’s been asking questions since then, so I reckon whoever it was either moved on or got themselves eaten.”

“E-Eaten?” Suddenly it’s me on the backfoot as the guard leans in. Under his mail-backed coiffe, he gives me the biggest leer possible, clearly trying to put the fear of Yuel into a child. His dull blue eyes mock me and I can’t respond in time. Unfortunately…he’s actually getting to me a little. Giving him my best glare, I make him back off. He laughs, but you can tell that he’s disconcerted by the sheer venom I manage to get in my six-year-old face. You know…if Glacia Dicentia actually got eaten, it’d be a shame if someone decided to make this entire town a monument to her grave. Not that that would ever happen…because Glacia is smarter than that…right?

“Well, think about it. Investigating Bloodfiends could bring you to some dangerous places. All these missing girls and you’re out looking for monsters. Can’t really blame anyone if you find what you’re looking for.” Our informant seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself as he waves us through the gate. “Go on, I don’t have time for this crap. You want to talk more, then I’m going to start charging you for holding up closing.”

“Alright, Myrr. Let’s move on.” Perideen drags me away from the guard who I’m still staring daggers at. Tch…eaten…first of all, Mephis would never eat a person. Well…not intentionally anyway. Second of all…what’s wrong with studying the things you don’t understand? How can you learn anything about the world if you dismiss it just because it hurt you a few times? Have you ever considered that Blood-locks don’t want to become Bloodfiends in the first place?

“Ugh, fine.” Stomping through town, I follow my protector like a good little child. But internally, I’m fuming. “Perideen, how much does a contract cost.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Well, theoretically…if one wanted to…ahem…off someone, how much would you charge?” I do my best to put it delicately and the assassin chuckles lightly as he understands what I’m getting at.

“The services of a Rainstopper Assassin are not something you can purchase with the silver in your pocket, Kid. If that’s all you think a human life is worth, then maybe you’d be better off talking to those honourless fools in Meirkeep.” Perideen replies dryly.

“It was just a hypothetical.” I sigh wistfully. “Also, don’t compare me to those people.”

“Then stop saying things which make you seem ignorant.” My protector puts both hands in the air and walks faster so it’s hard for me to keep up. He’s lucky he moved because I was about to kick him in the back of the knee. Unfortunately, it seems that Perideen has eyes in the back of his head. That, or I’m not the only one who can see the future. Tch…stupid assassins. “If you want to contract me properly, you’ll have to at least bring some gold to the table. And I have to say, if you think a mere guard in a town like this is worth my time, then you really are a fool.”

Oh…so it wasn’t a question of honor at all. You little…acting all high and mighty! I almost believed you! You’re just a cheap bastard! Do you know how hard it was to get this silver? And now you want gold? Well, I did cheat…but still!

“So, if I had say, ten gold coins, you wouldn’t mind bringing me his head?” I ask conspiratorially, and Perideen Darkblade just shrugs, putting his hands behind his head.

“If you have that much money to blow, then I guess you can pay for your own room tonight.” He abruptly dodges inside a nearby inn. The wooden sign, above the window, reads,

“Falconers Roost, Tosa’s Premiere Drunk Bunk!”

Before I can react, my protector has already flickered through the doorway and left me behind. Inside, I catch sight of Perideen shaking hands with the inn-keeper before disappearing upstairs with a room-key. Damn, he’s fast! Shaking my head, I go to the counter by the doorway first. There are a few tables of people eating and dancing in the light of a dying fireplace, but I have no interest in joining them. Even in my last life, when my body was the same size, I was already done with partying. Bloody normies, don’t you see you’re just eating and pissing away your paycheck? It doesn’t take Foresight to know you’re going to be penniless and hungover tomorrow!

“Your big brother said you were also looking for a room, Young Man?” The proprietor of the inn, a slightly hunched-back man dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt and dark black slacks, grins at me. He kind of looks like a bird with his long nose and thin chin. Everything about the overly adult way he greets me, pisses me off right now, “Well, I must say, it’s good for you to learn how to buy things for yourself at a young age. Still, you should be thankful that you have such good parents. Not many folk would be willing to give their boys money for separate rooms. When I was your age, I always had to share…”

Stop patronizing me, you, featherless penguin-looking motherf*****!

First of all, just because we're traveling together doesn't make Perideen my brother…

We don't even look alike!

Second, I earned this money myself!

“Just give me the room. Please…” Holding in the annoyance, and putting on my most disturbingly blank smile, I pretend to be a little angel while secretly wondering if I should play the devil tonight. If it was the me, of my last life, I certainly would have taught him a lesson he would never forget, but fortunately for the innkeeper, in this life, Myrr Blackrose is above such petty things. After all, I should avoid drawing attention to myself. Besides, Glacia would disapprove. She always told me not to bully the normies less fortunate.

“Alright, here you go, Young Man! Room #3, right upstairs, across from your brother! You need anything, I’ll be sleeping in room 1, so just come over and knock!” The annoying innkeeper finally hands me the key to my room and leaves me alone. By the time I get up the stairs, I see Perideen’s room really is in front of mine, so I should be able to sleep easy tonight knowing he’s nearby. Putting the key in the door, and turning the knob, I see that my room isn’t bad. Very small, but cozy, and whoever cleaned it has left the window open so that a slight breeze can come through. Up on the second floor, there’s even a slight view of the street, though Tosa isn’t very exciting. Still beats Sines, I guess.

Whew.

Survived.

I’ve spent so many years away from society, that I’d forgotten what people are like. Have I just been lucky to be exposed to my mother’s friends at a young age? The regular townspeople in this world are pretty much just like the normies in my last life. Completely worthless idiots who just want to waste your time and take your money.

Errr…my bad…sorry, Teacher!

Abruptly I realize that the mental picture of Glacia which lives in my head at all times, is frowning at me. Unfortunately, what was once my ward against nightmares, has lately begun to evolve into something suspiciously close to a moral compass. Be careful, Teacher, I don’t want to, but if you interfere with my revenge, I don’t know if I can afford to let you stay in my head anymore!

“N-No…heh, just my imagination. Okay, going to bed! Bed time!”

Still…I’m worried. Was Glacia really here?

I sit on the bed, my back against the cold frame, and stare out the open window into the torches and darkness of Tosa. Enclosed between the town walls, it’s like we’re inside a big wooden box. And outside, the dark trees and eerie shadows await. Perideen intends to search out more information tomorrow. Hopefully, there will be someone who can confirm whether or not Glacia visited this town. Mmm…too many unknown variables. My mind is irritated tonight. It’s the first time I’ve interacted with unfamiliar people in a long time. Pretty much my first time in this life, if you discount Sines, since I haven’t really dealt with the town folk very much.

“Ugh…I hope I don’t get nightmares tonight…”

Sighing, I fluff my pillow and continue to gaze out at the moon. It seems quite large today. Evidently soon, it will be another Blood Moon. And then, if the rumours are to be believed…something evil might happen. The downside to spending so much of my time gazing at the future that my brain can be hard to turn off. Murky thoughts, and unlucky predictions swirl about and I can only beg the memory of Glacia to help me sleep. Even though I was an unfaithful student today, her soothing voice still graces me with it calming presence so long as I recall that night. The lullaby which saved me from darkness.

I still remember it…

And I’ll keep remembering it…

Until we meet again…

#

[Oh boy at my front door.

This is the last time we can meet this moon.

I should try to hold you back

I would not want to see you lost in the night’s pitch black]

Abruptly, the song changes. Another voice, one which I knew once, but had forgotten, reaches me from the beyond. It whispers again, trying to tell me something important-

[Do you like this dream?

One day you’ll have to go tugging at the seams

For you can feel it, can you not?

The question you forgot

An answer that must be taught

The reason for which I sought

Have you ever asked yourself?

Did you find me?

Or did I find you…]