Chapter 34: The Rule of One Question

Trees wrapped the narrow route like watchful arms; the path ahead was little used.
Cold, fresh air brushed my neck.
Sunlight slipped between scattered clouds and pooled on the trail.

Ahead a tall mountain rose, its slopes threaded with trees and rough gullies—no clear path onward, only choices cut by stone and root.

"..pa." A small voice came from my arms.

I looked down. Liora's tiny hand closed around my shirt as she called softly. "Papa," she said in that sleepy, earnest way that always made something in my chest unclench.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Liora wants to walk." she replied.

I set her down, feeling the little weight settle into my palm as I lifted her to the ground.
Liora looked around for a moment, then her small fingers closed gently around my pinky of my left hand and squeezed.

I glanced to my right. Eva stood a little back, her face still shaded. I wanted to say something—anything to reach past that quiet—but the words tangled.

''Ugh… I'm not really good in these moments. I usually stay quite but I feel like I should say something... How about, What's up?, should I bring out food? No. We just had breakfast or maybe I should ask her why she's sad….'

A deeper truth sat under the useless flurry of thoughts.

'After her joining me. I haven't answers a single thing she asked. How could she trust me in our journey.' I exhaled and tried to steady myself.

Liora poked her finger at her cheek, waiting for the climb to begin. Just looking at her evened my pulse; whatever the awkwardness had been, it softened under that small, everyday warmth.

The mountain smelled of sap and cool stone; gravel whispered underfoot as we started up. I stopped thinking of everything else and let the simple comfort of the moment fill me—the way the light hit Liora's hair, the steady pressure of her small hand in mine. The other feelings didn't vanish, but they were covered enough for me to speak.

"I didn't want anyone to hear or see this, so I waited until we were out of the city." I said, keeping my voice calm and the warmth in my chest steady.

Eva looked up. It seemed I'd caught her attention.

"I… I'm just a bit cautious. The city is still new to me." I continued.

Her expression shifted—curiosity taking the edge off her worry. "Then why did you trust me?" she asked.

I paused. The mountain trail narrowed; tree roots snaked across our path. I set Liora on a flat root and reached down to help her step up to the next ledge.

"I… saw myself in you." I said.

'But, I still don't trust her fully.... I never trust anyone. Other than my family. Or... if someone watches anime. I remember my friends saying I'll tell everything to someone if I know they watch anime. I still think there's nothing wrong about that. I can talk to them about anime I can understand how they felt, how they see the scenes , and I can understand what kind of person they are. And because it's anime they say what they want unlike real life where everyone hide their true self.'

'She can't be close to me. I don't know if this will change in the future.' I thought, and we began climbing the mountain at a slow, steady pace.

"Shall we start from the very beginning?" I asked, trying to make the silence useful.

"First—did you stay in this city for long?" I asked.

"No. After I escaped, I traveled for a long time between towns to find more of my kind. It was useless." Eva replied, her voice dropping with the memory.

"Have you met any other heroes?" I asked.

"No. Why are you asking all this?" she countered, surprised.

"You're lucky you only met the hero of this world. Heroes summoned from other worlds have a skill that lets them check the status of others" I said.

Shock flitted across Eva's face. "WHAT?"

"They would have known you were a vampire the moment they saw your status." I added.

"That's so unfair." she whispered, eyes darting away.

"I knew you were a vampire before you told me." I said plainly. "But I didn't lie. I'll tell you things up front. Don't doubt my words if I say something you dislike."

She said nothing.

We crossed a protruding root; Liora was too short, so I lifted her and set her on the higher side before continuing.

"How about a game?" I suggested to ease the mood. "We each ask a question, and the other answers. More fun than one person talking the whole time."

"Sure." Eva agreed.

"Your turn." I said.

Eva thought a moment. "Why did you buy those weapons?" she asked.

"Because I want to use them all." I replied. "I don't always know how to move my body, but I know how the weapons should be moved. I can control the wind and make them move the way I want." My explanation left her still puzzled.

I stopped walking. The air had thinned a degree, and light spilled through the trees in bright. "Let me show you," I said.

I summoned a sword from my inventory; it whispered into being, the metal's edge catching the pale sunlight.

"Where did that sword come from?" Eva asked, already using up her next question.

"You've already asked one question. Wait your turn." I replied with a half-smile.

"A skilled swordsman can slice a row of trees or enemies with one swing, and can cut a tree so cleanly nobody sees it getting cut." I went on, watching her face for understanding.

"Yes, I've heard those stories at the guild." Eva said, intrigued.

A small chair appeared beside me as if conjured from the earth itself. "Liora, sit down and Papa will show you something cool." I said, smiling at the joy in her face.

Liora climbed onto the chair and settled, eyes wide with expectation. The mountain held its breath around us, birds calling like distant bells, and for a moment the world narrowed to the three of us—father, child, and the quiet companion who had chosen to stay.

"I'm not a sword master, but—" I said, and executed a horizontal slash while standing in place.

A stand of trees sprawled before me. For a heartbeat nothing happened, then air detonated. After a second, the trees were cleanly cut horizontally as a great gust of wind exploded outward; all the trees in front of me toppled across a two-hundred-meter swath. Only one tree remained standing.

Only one tree remained standing. Eva stared, stunned, as the last trunk trembled. I slid the sword back into inventory with a single motion; the tree shuddered, then shredded into shards and fell in a cascade of wood and dust.

Eva took a moment to process it, eyes wide. "How—?"

I explained, steady and slow. "I can still do this because of the wind. I wrapped each tree trunk with a fine thread of air. When they were cut, the threads released blasts of wind in every direction. For the last tree, I wove multiple threads together—high-pressure winds, like a concentrated wind slash. That's what cut it apart in an instant."

Eva's confusion hardened into curiosity. "W-what? Why?" she asked.

"So if I fight with a sword." I said, smiling despite the tension, "an enemy will try to block a slash or brace for an impact that never comes. By the time they understand—if they ever do—they'll already be dead."

"But I didn't feel any change in the mana." she said quickly, like a scholar finding a new theorem.

I chuckled. "We agreed to one question each. It's my turn next."

"Let's go, Liora." Liora hopped up, caught my finger, and we continued along the path.

'Sebas do I need to touch them to put them in my inventory?' I thought, staring at the felled trunks.

[ You are already in contact with them, Master. ]

'Ah is it because they're within the range I can control wind?' I questioned.

[ Precisely. ]

'Then I'll leave it to you to make things we will need like chairs, table, and other necessity . After that make some toy like a doll for Liora. A magic wand would be great too. She can play fairy. And also pick up things around us if they can be helpful for colouring.' I ordered.

[ Understood, Master. ]

"I remember you said you can't use your full power. Why?" I asked.

"That's because I'm in my weakened state," Eva replied. Her voice held the tired cadence of someone forced to explain the same thing too many times. I frowned—her answer felt thin.

"I forgot you don't know much about this world. I haven't drunk blood in a long time. Though I'm pureblood, I don't crave it—yet without blood I weaken. When we age, the need decreases." Eva's words were quiet, almost rueful.

"What about monster blood?" I asked.

"It's not nearly as good. Humans have some of the highest nutrients, and while there are others, humans are the easiest to get." she said. "But since I ran, I've kept a low profile so my attackers couldn't find me."

'Just how dangerous are they?' I wondered, curiosity tightening like a wire.

"Does your bite hurt?" I asked suddenly.

"WHAT?" Eva snapped, shocked.

"Does it hurt a lot when you bite? I don't mind you drinking my blood." I said calmly. The thought of her at full strength, protecting us, slid easily into my head like a solution to a problem.

'It would be great if she can be her full power. I can leave Liora to her when I fight.' I thought, already mapping possibilities.

'I just hope she will be someone I can fully trust for that.' I thought.

Eva's face flushed a conflicted red. "Uh—n-no. It doesn't hurt much." she stammered, stopping in her tracks.

I halted too and held out my left arm. "Can you—grab my arm?" I asked.

Eva blinked, recovering her composure. "Huh? …Ah, yes. Why?" She took my arm, fingers cool and tentative.

I waited. Nothing. No tingle, no thread of life being taken. 'I don't feel anything.' I thought, a small disappointment settling in my chest.

"It seems I can't give blood." I said. "If enemies attack, you can drink theirs."

Eva's disappointment was plain in her low voice. "What is this?" she asked, puzzled and a little hurt.

"Is that your question?" I asked softly.

"No." She shook her head, the answer a small, sad sound.

'No one can touch me. But then why?' I thought as I looked to my left, at Liora holding my hand as we walked. Liora looked up at me and smiled.

to be continued…

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading. We’re actually getting close to the end of Volume 1—only about 7 more chapters to go. It feels like the story’s first big arc is finally coming together, and I’m really excited for how it’ll wrap up. There’s also a small surprise I’m preparing once Volume 1 is complete, so please look forward to it!