30 Chapter 29

Time has passed on.

Boys had become teens.

Marco and Fabrizo went looking for Gehrman, a retired hunters to join the hunt. Gehrman trained them. Fed them. And practically raised them. They were easily accepted into the hunt.

However, Marco later dropped out due to not being able to keep up with the other hunter. He knew his limits well. Fabrizo was a better fighter than Marco, but Marco possesses intelligence like no other. 

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[Marco POV]

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We were making income now that Fabrizo had become a hunter. I, on the other hand, had joined the church of healing.

Mother was delighted to hear the news of her eldest son going into the embrace of God. But I fear she would break down once she knew that I only cure those who I could.

We were not good people. I would refuse to cure someone once they were inflicted with an uncurable disease. That is how I became famous for managing to cure everyone who came to me.

Fabrizo had become a well accomplished hunter. But the things he hunts, they're not beasts, they're people whose disease break out due to me not treating them.

I would mark down people I refused to treat and sent the information to Fabrizo. He would then hunt them down after they went mad. That is how Fabrizo became a well-accomplished hunter.

Fabrizo was famous for managing to track down people inflicted with the disease. Of course, I always took care of my own reputation not to affect my brother.

I made sure there were no witnesses. There are many different diseases. There are also some incurable ones.

One of the most rampant diseases turned man into beasts. It held no name. We only call them victims of the old blood.

The victim shows symptoms by bleeding out of their nose and start attacking anyone close by. They would then, mutate day by day before finally becoming a beast.

There is a period of hibernation before they became one. I noted down all those who were becoming one for Fabrizo to hunt when they were hibernating.

We killed for a living.

Today was a holiday where we would celebrate the coming of our gods. We all sat down in the kitchen as mother prepared our food.

She baked a meat pie. It was always a meat pie with a glass of milk.

We also brought Gehrman, the old man who once took us in.

"Dear lord,", our mother prayed as she clasped her hand. Julia did the same.

"Thank you for the food you have prepared for us.

Thank you for allowing us to share a delicious meal together.

Thank you for the beautiful snow and thank you allowing us to spend another year.

Thank you for giving me my children.

Thank you for allowing my daughter to grow up as a good woman and thank you for allowing my boys to grow up into good men."

She then opened her eyes.

"Let's eat!", she cheered like a child.

Despite the years that have gone by, mother was still as beautiful as ever.

Meanwhile during the prayer, I merely closed my eyes while Fabrizo just looked down. We dared not look at her innocent self with our sin-filled eyes.

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[Fabrizo POV]

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I feared no beasts for they were always there for me to hunt. They were easy prey when they were turning into one.

I was also famous for always hunting down beasts no matter who they were. Fabrizo sent me information about 'them'. I hunted them like the beasts they were without an ounce of mercy.

That was what I liked. I knew my worth.

'Dear brother, leave the dirty work to me', I would always think to myself.

He needn't stain his blood for our family. I will do all the dirty deeds for him. Of course, my journey wasn't always smooth sailing. I have had some injuries too.

During the prayer session I couldn't looked at my mother and my sister. They were living off our dirty work. That shouldn't have been the case.

. Our dirty money shouldn't have made their way into their hands. They should have hold legitimate money made with honest work.

"You can come over whenever you feel lonesome old man."

I could tell he enjoyed the company of my mother WAY MORE than he should.

"I'm still alive and kicking, boy", he scolded us.

"Or you can just live with us.", said Marco.

We see him as our father figure that raised us. He went silent at this.

"Forget about it! You're just saying it because of the holiday. I belong to the hunt and nothing else."

We both went silent at this. Gehrman was well aware of what we were doing but he made no comments about it.

"I told you earlier that I don't care what you boys are doing with what I taught but you should stop doing that.

Marco, the church is starting to become more aware of your actions and Fabrizo, the other hunters don't like you very much.

You're acting big-headed because you don't have any real enemies yet.

But go out, in the real world and you will see people who are unbelievably strong whether it be the world of man or beasts.

There have been suspicious movements lately." we both went silent at this.

"How about a snowball fight?", Marco suggested.

"Yeah! Good idea!", I agreed with whatever he want.

"Pay attention to what I'm saying, you punks!", Gehrman started calling for our attention. That was when a snowball hit him in the face.

"PUHAHA! You couldn't even dodge THAT? You're too old!"

Gehrman retaliated.

"We'll see about that!"

"Ack! You crazy old geezer!"

"Hahaha"

I like it when it snows. Because for a moment, when the entire village is blanketed with the pure white snow, its original disgusting appearance seems to disappear.

And the world looks pure and beautiful. So, I like it when it snows.

"We haven't abandoned our dream to become the best hunter, but we will do it once we are done with this village.", Marco said as we were all lying on the white snow.

"Like you said, we're probably just criminals. But there's too much trash out there in the world. Somebody needs to take out the trash.

If we keep sorting out the trash, this world might just become a little cleaner. And then when the day comes for us to pay for our sins ... we'll gladly accept it since we're going to die one day."

"Hmph! What you boys do is none of my business said our master as he started to get up and walk.

Everyone will one day come to face the price of their sins. So at least for today ... just for today.

"I'll be watching how well you boys do."

We never saw master again after that day. Master lost his life to a rogue hunter.

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[Julia POV]

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I knew exactly what my brothers were doing.

I wanted to help them but I know they will only deny it. They were doing this well only thanks to me. Or else, they wouldn't feel safe to leave mom alone.

I took care of mother every day so they may do their 'work' in peace. Although Fabrizo might not know it, I think Marco realized that I knew about their 'work'. He never talked about it with me.

I knew of Gehrman. He was a good man. Marco and Fabrizo would often talk about their 'father' when they were children.

Today, Gehrman visited us for the first time. I could tell that mother enjoyed his company very well.

"Mom, what did you think about the man who visited today? Wasn't he cute?", I asked as I was washing the dishes.

"Yes, he was cute!", mother replied while holding a cup of milk with both hands like a child.

"What do you think about someone like that?"

"W-What do you mean?" 

"He gets along well with Marco and Fabrizo and seems like a decent man!" I looked at the dishes and smiled.

However, I heard no answers. I turned at looked at my mother.

"Mom?", I asked once again as I saw blood dripping down her nose, staining the pure white milk with red.

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(A message from the author)

Struggle, boys.

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It's early today as I have work to do at night.

This is chapter 29 and I forgot to mention it in the previous chapter that this family is heavily influenced by the manhwa, the boxer.

Anyway, I have a fun activity. Who do you think should live in this family?

I feel like it's exciting for the reader to decide who to save from this family as I think I will kill off the rest.

I am curious.

Will you save Marco, the eldest and responsible son?

Will you save Fabrizo, the second son responsible for the dirty work?

Will you save Julia, the youngest daughter who is always there to support her family from behind the scenes?

Or will you save the mother, who all three siblings are trying to save?

You can't choose Gehrman as the only similarity with the one from bloodborne is the name and he is already dead.

I will take a look at the votes for this one. Have fun choosing!

The next chapter will also be about this family, and I will return to our beloved firekeeper in about 2 chapters.

Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.