Chapter 12: The House (New Book Requests Everything)

　　Edward and his party arrived at the hut where the body was found, and as soon as they stepped inside, a musty odor hit their noses. Dust had accumulated on the floor and it was obvious that the hut had not been occupied for a long time.

　　The body was in the innermost bed of the hut, sucked down to the skin and bones, just like Scarface Monty.

　　There were spiders crawling up the body and making cobwebs, and the body was still covered with a layer of dust.

　　"The skin was leathered, so there was no decomposition, and the man had been dead for at least several months." Baldwin said.

　　The last time the vampires attacked the city, they didn't attack this neighborhood, and the fact that the bodies had been dead for so long ruled out the attacking legions of vampires committing the crime.

　　"Could the same vampire have done it?"

　　"Don't rule it out, powerful vampires suck human blood once every few months is enough, and it's not a problem to put up with this practice of draining people at once for the better part of a year."

　　This Edward also knows, "The Origin of the Vampire" states that the higher the vampire, the lower the craving for blood, and at that level of True Vampire Ancestor, it can even abstain from hunger and thirst.

　　For high-ranking vampires, blood sucking is mainly to use the vampire's unique bloodline ability, such as blood manipulation and so on, this powerful ability to consume the vampire's own blood, overuse will fall into hunger and thirst, and will also die if not timely blood sucking.

　　"Investigate the identity of this body."

　　"It is supposed to be the owner of this house. The people who live around here say that a young woman lived here about six months ago." The old knight said.

　　"Well, there's a dresser by the bed, only a woman would need that. Why is the mirror broken though?"

　　"Don't you know? Vampires are afraid to look in the mirror."

　　"Why?"

　　"It is said that mirrors don't show vampires. If you go to a stranger's house and the family doesn't have a mirror in their house, then you should be careful, the family is probably vampires."

　　"Isn't there another possibility?"

　　"What?"

　　"That family is too poor or ugly."

　　The old knight's words caused everyone to laugh, lightening the eerie atmosphere in the hut considerably.

　　After laughing, Baldwin began to analyze it again.

　　"A young woman who lived alone and died in her own home .... By the way, was the body unclothed?"

　　Because the body had been sucked to the bone and the skin was so badly leathered that no one noticed it.

　　"Could it have rotted away?"

　　"Impossible, the environment is dry, the fabric won't rot that quickly."

　　Edward noticed something unusual about the bed, and he said, "There's a spot here that hasn't gotten much dust, and judging by the shape, it should be an imprint from folded clothing."

　　"That is to say, the clothing was taken off by the victim herself, and had been neatly folded and placed at the foot of the bed. Then for some reason, the set of clothes was recently taken away."

　　"So the victim was attacked and killed while sleeping?"

　　"One thing is missing if it's sleeping." Edward said.

　　"What?"

　　"Quilt."

　　"Could it have been taken with the clothes?"

　　"That can't be, and if that's the case, the area covered by the quilt shouldn't be covered in ash either."

　　"If you're not attacked in your sleep, when else do you need to take off your clothes? In the shower?" Evely said suspiciously.

　　By this time the men around them were letting out cackles of laughter.

　　"Baths don't come to bed." Edward said with a smile.

　　Soon Evely realized the reason for the men's laughter and her face reddened instantly.

　　"Usually two people do this kind of thing, and there's only one body here, what does that tell you?"

　　"The hero of the incident survived, and the survivor is probably the killer."

　　"And, judging by the neatly folded trail of clothes, the vampire and this young woman were, more than likely, lovers."

　　There was some small excitement in the crowd, a glimmer of hope in the midst of the heavy fog.

　　"But there's another mystery, why did the vampire come back after a long time and take the woman's clothes?"

　　Just as Edward raises his doubts, the old knight walks to a corner of the room where a cobweb-covered closet is located.

　　When I opened the closet, I saw several vulgar dresses, mostly dark red, hanging inside.

　　"There's a lot more clothes in here that haven't been touched."

　　The old knight picked up the corner of a dress with the hilt of his sword and observed, "Is this color popular? Why is this woman all dressed in this color?"

　　"This would have been dyed with plant dyes like cress, plant dyes lose their color easily, these clothes would have been bright red when they were first purchased." Evely said.

　　She was the only woman present and the only one who knew anything about dyes.

　　"Ah bright red, the color that tends to attract vampires."

　　"Do you remember what the tavern owner said? The woman who walked off with Scarface Monty was also wearing a dark red dress." Baldwin said suddenly.

　　"So the reason the vampire came back and took the clothes is ...." The old knight seemed to understand a little.

　　"Disguise." Edward said, "This vampire took the clothes, passed himself off as a woman, and then tricked Scarface Monty into killing him where no one was looking."

　　"Come on, let's go around and ask around, maybe someone knows what happened to this woman six months ago."

　　The group then left the area, and before they left, Baldwin left a tracking rune on the door of the room, so that if the vampire returned again, he would be marked by the rune.

　　They then divided into small teams and split up to visit the surrounding neighborhoods to ask questions about the young woman who lived alone.

　　"Ah, you guys mean Sora? The girl who lives in that little house in the back alley?"

　　An old woman in a grocery store on the corner uttered the name.

　　"Yeah, yeah, yeah, likes to wear red, and she's from the town of Cistercian, bought that house here and lived in it, and was working in the grocery store about six months ago."

　　The old woman was obviously familiar with the girl named Sora.

　　"Does she have any lovers or anything like that?" The old knight asked.

　　"Lovers, not really, but she quit her job here one day and said she was going to marry the lord uptown as a concubine."

　　"Uptown? Which lord?"

　　"I don't know about that, but Sora has said that I can meet her on Ruby Street for tea later when I'm free."

　　"What number is Ruby Street?"

　　"It didn't say what number it was, just that there was a townhouse with white roses planted on the front doorstep that was the home of the lord she married into."

　　After thanking the old woman, the crowd hoofed it to Ruby Street in the upper town.

　　Many dignitaries live here, and one street is full of houses.

　　Soon, the crowd found a wall of white roses, except that there were two courtyards adjacent to each other that shared this wall, and the two adjacent gates were both filled with fragrant white roses at their doorways.

　　Just as the crowd was wondering which was the "lord's" house that Sora was talking about, the door on the left opened and a boy who looked to be thirteen or fourteen stepped out.

　　"Kayne, this is the kid we met at the bank, right? Called Leonardo or something." Evelyn whispered as she recognized the boy instantly.

　　Leonardo was obviously a little surprised to see such a large group of people outside the door.

　　"May I ask what you all are doing outside our home?" He asked alertly.

　　Baldwin was at a loss for words when the old knight stepped forward and said, "You are Master Leonardo, are you not? Is this the residence of Countess Margaret?"

　　"Yes, are you looking for your aunt?"

　　"No, no, no, we are going next door to visit the Countess another time."

　　"Really, then I am not at liberty to detain you all, but the house next door seems to be unoccupied."

　　"Doesn't anyone live next door?"

　　"It's strange to say there's no one there, it makes strange noises once in a while, but it's never lit at night."

　　"Maybe the owner is more eccentric."

　　"Oh, well, I was being long-winded, and I have business to attend to. Allow me to take my leave." Leonardo bowed to the crowd and left.

　　Watching the teenager walk away, Baldwin took the old knight by the hand and asked, "What is this man? Why don't you suspect him?"

　　"You actually didn't know? Oh yes, you followed the lord out and didn't know. This family just moved here last month, and their mistress is a very pretty noblewoman who moved from Romneya, and a countess, and often attends the lord's wife's balls."

　　"Is it a guest of your sister-in-law?"

　　"Yeah."

　　"It's not this house if it just moved here last month."

　　While Baldwin and the old knight were talking, Edward looked up at the walled townhouse, only to see a very beautiful woman at the second floor window, looking through it.

　　As their eyes met, the woman suddenly passed out.

　　Behind the window, a girl who looks like Leonardo runs over and quickly saves the woman, who then for some reason argues with the girl, who ends up hugging the woman around the waist and huffing and puffing and pulling the curtains shut.

　　"A very jovial family, it seems."

　　Several hunters and close knights saw the scene, most of them marveling at the woman's amazing beauty, and murmured, "Do you think that countess is married?"

　　"Didn't we say noblewoman? Mostly married, right?"

　　"But it looks like she's only in her early twenties."

　　"All noblewomen marry early."

　　"It tastes better when you're married."

　　Edward was despising the knight, who had the same preferences as Chancellor Cao, when Baldwin and the old knight drank them down, "Stop this nonsense, we are aiming at this house next door, all cheer up, there is likely to be a nasty fight coming up."

　　They arrived at the next door and the old knight asked, "Should we knock and go in or just break in?"

　　"Hold on, send a couple of guys to the back of the yard, no back doors or anything."

　　After setting up, Baldwin walked over to the door and inspected it.

　　"Just break in."

　　"If this family is a nobleman, you'll be held responsible, brother of the lord!" The old knight said.

　　"Definitely not, the door is rigged with dark magic. This is the vampire's lair."

　　Baldwin pointed to a couple of strong lads, "Come along and we'll break down the door."

　　Several of the lads, plus Baldwin, gave a low growl in unison and rushed for the door.

　　All that was heard was a bam, and the gate didn't budge.

　　After a few more crashes, the gate was still solid as a rock, but Baldwin and a couple of the lads sat down in exhaustion.

　　"No, gotta think of something else."

　　That's when Edward stepped forward and said, "Is there another way to open it?"

　　He pulled on the doorknob and pulled back a little.

　　Only to hear a "click", the latch was pulled off, and the door made of fine iron was pulled open.

　　"See, it turns out you have to pull."

　　Baldwin stared at the scene and said, "Are you kidding me, kid? You pulled the latch off the door, are you a monster?

　　"Are you a monster? The latch is pulling off!" The old knight said the words in Baldwin's place.

　　"Ah, is it broken? I think the Master and a couple of them broke the latch so I could pull it open."

　　This reason barely convinced everyone, who failed to notice that the latch was actually cast in fine gold.

　　"All right, advance in battle formation. Be on the lookout for traps and mechanisms!" Baldwin ordered.

　　That's hard for Edward. What's a battle formation? He hasn't been trained for it yet!

　　However, before the hunters could form a line, a mutation occurred.

　　A bat-like monster, suddenly whistling shrilly, broke through the window of the townhouse and flew off into the distance.

　　"Not good! It escaped! Got a bow and arrow no?!" Baldwin shouted.

　　There were a few hunters who were carrying bows and arrows, they immediately bent their bows and arrows, and the feathered arrows swished out, however, the big bat was very agile, and swung back in the air a few times to avoid the feathered arrows.

　　At that moment Edward stretched out his hand and silently chanted a rune, a [Demon Breaking Arrow] locked onto the big bat and flew out.

　　The big bat quickly flipped and turned several corners, yet the feathered arrow of light followed it like a precision-guided missile.

　　In the end, the [Demon Breaking Arrow] hit the big bat, and it fell straight down from the air.

　　"Oh no, the vampire fell into the castle." The old knight stared intently at the direction in which the vampire had fallen and realized that it had landed in Duke Constantine's castle.

　　"Hurry!" Baldwin, not realizing that he had gotten his brother into serious trouble, rushed to the castle with his men.

　　The people made a big circle and came to the main gate of the inner city, fortunately, Baldwin led the way, and the close guard knights guarding the gate opened the door and let them through without saying a word.

　　"You guys go search for vampires, Kayne! Evely! Come with me to protect my brother." Baldwin shook off the crowd and headed straight for the lord's bedroom.

　　Edward and Ivory, meanwhile, followed at a quick pace, and the three of them entered the castle and made their way through the portico and up the revolving staircase to the Lord of the City's bedroom on the top floor of the castle.

　　"Brother! Are you okay, Brother?"

　　Outside the bedroom door, Baldwin thumped on the door.

　　"Baldwin? What's wrong? The door was open." Duke Constantine's voice came from inside the room.

　　"I'll go in by myself, you guys guard the door." Baldwin said, pulling the door open and entering the bedroom.

　　Edmund, Duke of Constantine, was lying in his bed in his nightgown, and, looking a little pale, he said, "I was taking a nap; what is the matter with your haste."

　　"A vampire has fallen into the castle."

　　"Vampire! You have to protect Lone! Baldwin!" Edmund screamed shrilly.

　　"I'm here to protect you, didn't anything strange happen just now."

　　"No, why would a vampire come into my castle when I'm asleep!"

　　"This ...." Baldwin hesitated and decided to take the fall for his subordinate, "The vampire was flying in the sky and I shot him down, falling into the castle."