CHAPTER 430: A CITY OF LIGHTS AND DELICACIES

The cobblestone road wound downward from the hills, and soon the towering spires of a bustling city rose in the distance. Unlike the wilderness of monsters and bandits they had carved their way through, this place shimmered with life. Banners of crimson and gold fluttered from the gates, and even from afar Amber could hear laughter, music, and the endless chatter of crowds.

"Quite lively for somewhere so close to the academy," Amber remarked, her crimson eyes narrowing with curiosity.

Lilith gave a faint smile. "It’s a trade hub. Merchants from the north and south converge here. You’ll find all manner of delicacies... and distractions."

Amber’s lips curved into a small grin. "Then let’s see what this city has to offer."

At the gates, guards inspected travelers briefly before allowing them inside. The moment Amber and Lilith passed through, the atmosphere shifted. The streets were alive with a symphony of scents and colors. Stalls lined the avenues, selling skewered meats, sweet pastries dripping with honey, roasted chestnuts, exotic spices, and steaming bowls of broth that filled the air with savory fragrance.

Children ran past carrying candied fruits, merchants shouted over one another to advertise their goods, and traveling performers juggled knives while crowds applauded.

Amber inhaled deeply, her vampiric senses drinking in every detail—the rhythm of a lute in the distance, the metallic scent of coins changing hands, and above all, the intoxicating aroma of food.

Her stomach, long used to blood and battlefield meals, rumbled faintly.

Lilith noticed. "Go on. Try something. You’ve earned it."

Amber’s first stop was a skewer stall. A burly cook with a thick beard fanned flames beneath sizzling meats, fat dripping onto the coals with loud hisses. He handed her a stick of grilled boar, seasoned with coarse salt and wild herbs.

Amber bit into it, her eyes widening slightly. The smoky, tender meat melted in her mouth, juices spilling across her tongue.

"Delicious..." she whispered.

Lilith, ever composed, tried one herself. Though her expression barely changed, Amber caught the subtle curve at the corner of her lips.

From there, they wandered further. At one stall, they tried fried dumplings stuffed with spiced vegetables and minced beast meat. At another, bowls of steaming noodles with rich broth that clung to their lips. Amber even discovered a sweet treat—fluffy pastries filled with cream and drizzled with fruit syrup. She devoured them with a smile that seemed younger, freer than the blood-soaked warrior she was becoming.

"You’re enjoying yourself," Lilith observed.

Amber licked sugar from her fingers, grinning. "It’s different. Fighting makes me feel alive... but this? It makes me feel... human again."

Lilith’s gaze softened, though she said nothing.

After their feast, they explored the attractions the city had to offer. At the plaza, a troupe of acrobats performed high above the crowd, flipping and twisting through the air with breathtaking grace. Children squealed with joy, coins were tossed, and the air buzzed with excitement.

Amber’s sharp eyes tracked every movement. "They move like trained fighters," she mused.

"Not unlike us," Lilith agreed. "But their stage is the sky, not the battlefield."

They moved on to a small festival area where colorful lanterns floated above the streets. Couples and friends played games of skill—throwing rings onto bottles, catching fish from shallow pools, or testing strength by striking a bell with a mallet.

Amber, never one to resist a challenge, tried her hand at the ring toss. Her first few attempts missed, clattering onto the ground. She scowled.

Lilith, watching with amusement, finally said, "Focus. Don’t just throw. Visualize your aim—like your blood arts."

Amber’s eyes narrowed. She steadied herself, then flicked her wrist. The ring sailed smoothly and landed neatly over the bottle neck.

The stallkeeper clapped. "Well done, young lady! You’ve won yourself a prize." He handed her a small trinket—a red crystal pendant on a thin chain.

Amber held it up, smiling faintly. It wasn’t valuable, but somehow it felt meaningful.

As evening fell, the city transformed. Lanterns lit every street, their glow reflected in the river that ran through the heart of the city. Musicians played by the water’s edge, their melodies weaving through the night air.

Amber and Lilith strolled along the riverside, the lights painting their pale skin in warm hues. The crowds were still lively, but there was a gentler, almost romantic energy to the city at night.

Amber stopped at a bridge, leaning against the railing as she gazed at the shimmering reflection below. Her thoughts turned to her master. Everything she did, every fight she endured, every step forward—it was all for him.

"I wish he could see this," Amber murmured. "I want to stand at his side, not only in battle, but here too... sharing moments like this."

Lilith glanced at her, the faintest shadow of a smile crossing her face. "Then grow stronger. So that one day, when you stand with him, you won’t just follow—you’ll walk beside him."

Amber’s crimson eyes glowed faintly in the lantern light. She nodded, resolve burning hotter than ever.

By the time the night deepened, they returned to the inn they had chosen earlier. Their room was warm, simple yet comfortable, with polished wooden floors and a large double bed. A basin of warm water awaited them for washing, and the scent of lavender hung faintly in the air.

Amber flopped onto the bed with a sigh, staring at the ceiling. "I almost forgot what it’s like... to enjoy a normal day."

Lilith slipped off her cloak, settling gracefully onto her side of the bed. "Remember it well, Amber. These moments are rare. Hold onto them, so that when blood and darkness threaten to consume you, you’ll have something to fight for."

Amber turned her head, watching Lilith’s profile as her mentor closed her eyes. For a long while, she lay in silence, her thoughts full of her master, of battles yet to come, and of the path she was carving with her own blood.

Slowly, her eyelids grew heavy. Outside, the city still pulsed with life, but inside their room there was only quiet, soft breathing, and the faint echo of music drifting through the night air.

Amber smiled faintly to herself, clutching the red crystal pendant in her hand as sleep claimed her.