"Y-you alright... Chloe?" Vlad murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Before Chloe could even answer, he fell on her, fainting from his injuries and exhaustion.

---

Distant noises and murmurs reached Vlad’s ears. He tried to open his eyes but his eyelids felt heavier than lifting a massive log. He couldn’t feel any part of his body, as if he had been paralysed. Unable to move or make a sound, he focused on the faint noises that were slowly becoming audible.

"Miss Chloe, your injuries aren’t healed yet," an unfamiliar female voice laced with worry echoed. "You should rest in your bed."

"No, I will stay with Vlad."

Just from the stubbornness alone, Vlad could tell whom this voice belonged to.

"Why hasn’t he woken up yet?" Chloe asked, her voice almost on the verge of tears.

"He had suffered deep wounds to the head. He might never wak—"

"But you said holy magic can heal all injuries!" Chloe snapped, her voice rising sharply.

Vlad suddenly felt something heavy settle onto his body.

"I will not leave until he wakes up."

’She always pushed me away when I tried to hug her, but now that I’m unconscious she is clinging to me so tightly,’ Vlad chuckled inwardly, thoroughly amused.

He wanted to stay like this a few minutes longer to hear Chloe’s true thoughts, but he decided against it. She was clearly worried sick about him, and besides, he had no idea where he was.

His senses had already returned. With some struggle, he pried open his heavy eyelids. The blurred vision sharpened into a clear image as he focused his molten crimson eyes.

The first thing he saw was Chloe sitting in the chair beside the bed, leaned forward with her head resting on his chest.

"Good morning, Chloe," Vlad whispered with a faint smile.

Chloe jolted upright at the sound of his voice, her head snapping towards his face.

"You aren’t going to hug me anymor—"

Before Vlad could finish, Chloe lunged forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"Hngg... I-I’m s-sorry... hng... be-because of me..." She wept between heavy gasps, her eyes overflowing with tears.

Vlad was completely taken aback. They had been together for as long as he could remember, yet this was the first time he had seen her cry since the death of her parents.

The thugs had come for Chloe. Vlad had nothing to do with them. Yet because of her, not only had he been dragged into the mess but had been held back and severely injured as well.

Of course Vlad didn’t see it that way. But he understood that these were the thoughts weighing heavily on Chloe, pushing her towards her breakdown.

"Silly, I don’t blame you for what happened," Vlad said, patting the back of her head. "We are family, so it is our duty to protect each other. Next time someone comes to kidnap me, you will need to protect me as well."

Chloe didn’t respond. She only clung to him harder, letting all her worry and fear out in the form of tears.

---

"Thank you for saving us," Vlad said, turning to the young woman in simple white robes who stood opposite the bed.

"I didn’t save you, Mr. Vlad. I am only the caretaker here," the woman replied. "Priest Mikael bestowed his holy blessings upon you and Miss Chloe’s injuries."

’There is only one priest in the holy church of Barton. So his name is Mikael,’ Vlad noted inwardly.

The room he was staying in had the same intricate patterns that lined the hall and waiting room of the church.

"I’m in the church again," Vlad said, taking in his surroundings. "Was it also the priest who brought us here?"

The woman shook her head. "Miss Chloe carried you to the church on her back. I still cannot believe how she managed that with iron shackles seared to her burnt ankles. We had to remove a layer of her outer skin just to get the shackles off."

Vlad lowered his gaze to Chloe, who was sleeping in his lap. Her legs were wrapped in linen bandages.

He instinctively clenched his fist as his blood boiled at the sight of what she had endured.

"Are you feeling frustrated, child?" A calm voice came from the doorway where the priest stood.

"Father Mikael." The caretaker gave a slight bow of respect before quietly leaving the room.

Mikael entered, turning the prayer beads in his hand. "Or is it anger that is taking over?" he continued, picking up his earlier question.

Seeing Vlad give no response, he concluded, "So it is both."

"Thank you for saving us and providing us a place to stay, Father," Vlad finally spoke, sidestepping the question Mikael had posed.

Mikael nodded before asking, "Do you know why those thugs attacked you?"

"They were sent to kidnap Chloe," Vlad replied, resting his hand protectively on her head.

"Any idea who sent them?"

Vlad’s brows furrowed, annoyance plain on his face. Only one name rose to his lips.

"Armin Beaumont."

"You are correct," Mikael answered, his expression unreadable, eyes closed as he kept turning the beads around his finger. "The Church has arrested the thugs who attacked you. They have already confessed, and it was not the first time they had kidnapped children. Every year, the Mayor recruited commoners with exceptional talent, and those who refused were taken by force that very same evening. If you wish, you may file a petition against him."

"What do you suggest, Father?"

"You already know my answer, child," Mikael replied in an even tone.

Vlad clenched his fist tighter, his brow twitching, veins rising across his forehead.

"I do not wish to file formal accusations against the Mayor," Vlad murmured. "Please let this matter end here."

’So this is your answer, Vlad. Even if you were to accuse Armin, he is a noble and a mayor. The most he would suffer is the loss of his position. But you would become a target of the Beaumont family and might be hunted for the rest of your life,’ Mikael thought. ’The prudent choice is to close this matter. But I expected more from you, Vlad. Did the filth of the world frighten you as well? Where has that noble spirit gone? In the end, you are just like any oth—’

"I will make him pay for what he did myself," Vlad muttered, his eyes burning with quiet resolve. "Right now I am a nobody with no power. If I accuse him today, he will walk away with a slap on the wrist and go right back to kidnapping children."

His voice hardened as he declared, "Before next year’s Awakening Ritual, I will return and make him answer for every crime he has committed. I will not be just another nameless commoner by then."

Mikael slowly opened his golden eyes, a faint smile forming on his lips.

"You may stay here as long as you wish," he said, rising to his feet.

At the doorway, he paused and turned back.

"Tomorrow marks the seventh day since the Awakening Ritual ended. I hope you will not overstay and miss something important."