CHAPTER 52: THE MYSTERIOUS VILLAGE AND IT’S MYSTERIOUS NOBLE LANDLORD

The next day, Reese’s merchant convoy continued traveling the road at the edge of the forest. When it was late afternoon and they had passed halfway around the other side of the capital, they saw a small village right at the edge of the forest with a large cemetery behind it. Since evening was approaching, the convoy entered the village and was warmly received by the villagers. Naturally, Reese immediately opened his shop so the villagers, whose village was a bit remote and far from the capital, could shop for their needs.

Ard got down from the passenger wagon in the back with his friends. Eva also got down from the main carriage with the others to help sell Reese’s merchandise from his wagon. Ard saw Eva and the others, who seemed happy serving the villagers crowded around the carriage. But then he noticed the villagers, who looked thin, pale, and appeared unhealthy.

"Hmm... why do they look sick?" Ard asked.

"You’re right, Ard. If you look closely, they’re clearly not well. This village has fields, rice paddies, and many livestock roaming around; they’re clearly not starving," Ainsley replied, observing and holding the bridge of his glasses.

Suddenly, three small children ran toward the merchant wagon past them. Ard and the others watched the three children, who had pale skin and blue veins visible beneath it, and all three had dark bags under their eyes. They were smiling and cheerful but seemed to be forcing it. After they passed,

"Yep, no mistake. They’re anemic," Claudia said.

"Huh... really?" Geoffrey asked, turning to look at Claudia next to him.

"I’m certain. They’re healthy, but they’re pale because of a lack of blood, and if you look, almost all the villagers are suffering from the same thing," Claudia replied.

"But what’s the cause?" Patricia asked.

"Hmm... I once heard gossip in the Imperial capital market when I was shopping there. There was a village located near the capital whose residents looked sick but healthy. According to the gossip, the village is run by a vampire noble who sucks the blood of the residents, who give their blood willingly," Irwin replied.

"So that’s it," Ard muttered. "Hmm... Irwin isn’t wrong. In my seventh life when I was a chef’s assistant, I did hear about a village run by a vampire noble, but at the time, I thought it was just exaggerated gossip. Maybe this is the village the gossip was talking about," Ard muttered in his heart.

"But if that noble is really a vampire, then he’s a demon, and he’s under the Orthus Empire?" Geoffrey asked.

"Maybe he’s disguised as a human. As far as I know, vampires can disguise themselves as humans, and maybe no one knows that he’s actually a vampire," Claudia replied.

"Hmm, that makes sense. If the gossip is true that the residents voluntarily give their blood to the noble lord of this village, it’s highly likely they don’t know the noble is a vampire," Patricia replied.

"You mean they’re just acting out of loyalty to their landlord?" Ainsley asked.

"Something like that," Patricia replied.

"Who is the noble who owns this village?" Geoffrey asked.

"Count Dimitrius Raven Northrom,"

Everyone turned to look at Eva, who had approached them with the others. Ard immediately went up to Eva.

"You know him?" Ard asked.

"Yes, he often came to the palace. He’s certainly mysterious, unmarried, and never had children," Eva replied.

"Okay, he’s a vampire, positive," Geoffrey replied.

"Is that so? But where’s his mansion? I don’t see any noble residence in this village," Ainsley asked, looking around and holding the bridge of his glasses.

"In the forest... I don’t know exactly where," Eva replied.

"Wow... mysterious," Milia muttered.

"This is kind of scary, isn’t it?" Alicia replied, hugging herself.

"I’m not scared of things like that," Beatrice replied arrogantly.

"Please don’t talk carelessly, Princess Beatrice. Usually, the ones who say they aren’t scared are the first to die," Rosalind said.

"Ugh... please stop saying frightening things! What is your problem? You’re supposed to be my guard," Beatrice replied angrily.

"My apologies, Princess. It’s just that you tend to be reckless, and that’s why I’m your guard," Rosalind replied.

"Let’s just hope the Count doesn’t know we’re here. Otherwise, it could be trouble," Mirea muttered, thinking.

"That’s right. We need to be careful and not stand out, not because he’s a vampire, but because he’s one of the Orthus Empire’s nobles who might report that Princess Eva is in his village," Ard replied.

"Ard’s right. We’re not scared of a vampire; we’re more scared of the imperial soldiers suddenly showing up in this village," Geoffrey added.

"Hey, don’t say you’re not scared, or you’ll die first, you know," Irwin retorted.

"Huh... I said we

aren’t scared, not me alone," Geoffrey replied.

"If you want to die first, please don’t drag the rest of us along," Ainsley replied, smiling.

"You guys are annoying," Geoffrey replied.

"Hey, let’s go to the inn."

They all turned to see Reese approaching them. Then Reese invited them to the inn to stay the night. When they arrived in front of the inn, Ard, Eva, and the others stared in stunned silence at the inn’s building. The inn had three floors, but the building looked dingy, covered in strange creeping plants, and the windows looked forcefully attached, just enough to be closed. The entire building looked like a haunted inn—dark and definitely holding something mysterious inside.

"This... is our inn?" Milia asked.

"I guess so. A little creepy," Alicia replied.

"Not a little, it’s genuinely terrifying! I want to go back to the palace," Beatrice said.

"We are on our way back to our kingdom, Princess," Rosalind replied.

"Enough of this. Let’s go in," Ard urged, following Reese, who had already gone inside with Eva.

"Yeah, come on," Eva added.

Meanwhile, Mirea, Claudia, Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, Rosalind, Patricia, Geoffrey, Ainsley, and Irwin were still standing stunned in front of the inn.

"Aren’t they scared?" Mirea asked.

"Well, that’s just how the two of them are. They’re not scared of anything," Irwin said.

"So we’re going in?" Milia asked.

"We have no choice but to go in. Come on," Geoffrey urged.

Geoffrey stepped toward the door, but he sensed no one following him. He turned and saw everyone still lined up behind him. He immediately walked back to his friends.

"Hey, come on in! Why are you guys standing here?" Geoffrey said.

"Ugh... isn’t there any other inn in this village?" Alicia asked.

"This is the only inn," Mirea replied.

"Rosalind, you go in first," Beatrice ordered.

"How about we go in together, Princess?" Rosalind suggested, giving Beatrice an annoyed smile.

Finally, they continued to stand in front of the door. Ard came back out to see his friends standing frozen, staring at the inn in front of them.

"Hey, what are you guys doing? Come on in. It’s getting late. It’s nice inside, I promise," Ard replied.

"Really?" Claudia asked.

"Yes! Come on in quickly," Ard answered, opening the door wide.

They all immediately looked at one another, then walked inside. When they got inside, their eyes truly widened because the interior of the inn was very beautiful and even a little more luxurious than a typical inn. Ard invited them upstairs and into their rooms. The room distribution was Beatrice with Rosalind, Alicia, and Milia. The next room was Eva, Mirea, Claudia, and Patricia. The next room was Ard, Irwin, Ainsley, and Geoffrey.

When they opened their door, they were all amazed to see one large bed and two single beds flanking it, a neat room with nice curtains, a bright magic lamp, and a table at the end of the room.

"Turns out this room is nice. If it’s like this, I don’t mind at all," Alicia muttered.

"Okay, I’m sleeping by the window. I like the edge," Milia replied, walking to her bed.

"Princess Beatrice and I will take the middle," Rosalind replied.

"Huh... why don’t I get to sleep alone?" Beatrice asked.

"You’re a messy sleeper, Princess. I don’t want you falling out onto the floor," Rosalind replied.

"Grr... fine," Beatrice replied, annoyed.

In the next room, Mirea, Claudia, and Patricia saw Eva sitting comfortably by the window, enjoying her tea and looking out the window.

"Wow... this room is great," Claudia replied, looking around.

"This is... quite interesting. Alright, let’s rest," Mirea suggested.

"I’ll sleep in the middle with Princess Eva," Patricia said, raising her hand.

"No problem," Eva replied, smiling.

Then, in the men’s room, Ard, Geoffrey, Ainsley, and Irwin stood stunned in the doorway, looking at the bed arrangements.

"Who gets the middle bed?" Ard asked.

"Ainsley and Irwin," Geoffrey answered.

"No way," both replied simultaneously.

Finally, they stood frozen and speechless, unable to decide who slept where and with whom. None of Ard, Eva, or the entire group realized that after the sky darkened, across the windows of their respective rooms, several red-eyed bats were watching them, perched on the rooftops of the houses across from the inn where they were staying.