Rolling steam rose from the iron pot on the stove.
Vivian picked up a wooden basin and scooped some hot water into it. She walked over to Nolan’s side and placed the basin steadily on the floor.
She wrung out a towel. “Be a good boy and close your eyes.”
Nolan had just closed his lids when the warm, moist towel was pressed against his face.
*Scrub, scrub, scrub—*
He finally endured the towel’s rough treatment, but before Nolan could even catch his breath, a gentle yet unquestionable voice followed.
“Stick your feet out.”
There was another round of *scrub-scrub-scrub*. Small, soft hands moved between his toes.
Nolan opened his eyes and gazed at Vivian’s small face, which looked exceptionally serious under the firelight. His thoughts unconsciously drifted away.
In his previous life, not long ago, he had experienced the sacrifice of his comrades, the loss of his family, and the downfall of his clan…
Tragedy after tragedy flickered through his mind like a revolving lantern. The warm moment before him made those once-engraved memories turn blurry, gradually receding.
‘My experiences in my past life feel like a dream. This is my real life now…’
A sudden feeling of being in a different world surged within him.
‘No…’
Nolan stopped his thoughts from sliding further just in time.
‘I cannot ignore those memories… They are a warning to me. A warning that I should fight for the beauty before my eyes. Perhaps this is why the God of Light gave me a second life. For my wife, Vivian, for my family, and to ensure the tragedies of my past life never happen again. I will continue to fight demons until the gates of hell are destroyed. That is what I must do.’
Nolan secretly clenched his fists, a golden light flashing in his eyes. He firmed his conviction, and holy power surged from his faith.
The path of a Paladin was a transcendent road of carrying out one’s convictions and upholding one’s oaths. Their power did not just come from physical tempering and the honing of skills. They could also improve themselves through faith and by maintaining their oaths.
This was the second time today that he had increased his strength in such a manner. But it was still far from enough.
Vivian, who was leaning down to scrub the dirt off Nolan’s feet, suddenly looked up because she felt a surge of holy energy surrounding him. A string of question marks popped up in her head.
‘Did I just give him some kind of divine enlightenment by scrubbing his feet?’
***
“Alright, go to bed now. No staying up late,” Vivian said as she stood up and carried the wooden basin away, giving Nolan a stern command.
She went to the doorway and pushed the door open. She dumped the dirty water straight into the street. Of course, this wasn’t because Vivian was lazy, but because the house didn’t have a drain at all. Besides, all the residents of Black Rat Street did the same thing.
Vivian had to do as the locals did. She found an excuse for her “wicked” behavior.
‘That’s right, this is what the Middle Ages are like.’
It fit Vivian’s stereotype perfectly.
“Phew—”
Wiping away non-existent sweat from her forehead, Vivian turned back into the house. She blew out the lamp on the wall, letting the tentacles of the night stretch into the room. Using her dark vision, she checked to see if Nolan was behaving and sleeping in bed.
He seemed like a good boy. Nolan lay quietly in bed, motionless, his sleeping posture very disciplined. He looked like a corpse.
Vivian was very gratified by this. Immediately, her body dissolved into a swarm of small bats, flew into the coffin, and pulled the lid shut.
‘Goodnight.’
Nolan, lying in bed, finally found his chance. He quickly rolled over and adjusted himself into his most comfortable sleeping position. Then, he looked down and sniffed the bedding that carried the girl’s fragrance.
‘Vivian… why is she like my mother?’
When he was young, his mother had been the same. She made him wash his hands and face, nagged him to go to sleep, and would even perform surprise inspections in the middle of the night.
Recalling the young girls he had seen in his memory, it seemed none of them were like this. Aside from that, she liked to do manual labor herself, and… she could fight…
‘In my memory, didn’t girls like pretty clothes and attending tea parties?’
—
The next day.
The morning sun had not yet fully risen, and a bit of darkness still remained in the sky. The city streets were shrouded in a layer of mist.
Inside Vivian’s small house, she let out a groan. Vivian had just woken up and poked her head out of the coffin, letting out a yawn. Then, like a cat, she stretched her limbs and rubbed the corners of her eyes. Vivian was soothing her morning grumpiness.
Next, she looked at the other person in the room.
Nolan had gotten up at some point and had already begun his morning exercises. He had changed into a set of light training clothes, and his upper body was already soaked in sweat. Because the space in the room was too small, he couldn’t move his limbs enough to practice swordsmanship. Therefore, he only did basic physical training like push-ups and squats.
“Good morning…” Vivian waved weakly, greeting him. She climbed out of the coffin clumsily and walked to the stove to begin preparing the day’s breakfast.
Nolan also stopped his movements. He cupped some clean water from the bucket with both hands and washed his face. He came to Vivian’s side.
“Let me give you a hand,” he said softly.
“Mm,” Vivian replied in a low voice without turning her head.
The two in front of the stove stopped talking, each silently busy with the work at hand. Vivian held a small kitchen knife, peeling and dicing carrots. Nolan picked up firewood and tossed it into the stove, starting the fire. Their coordination was quite seamless, like an old married couple of many years.
A moment later, the two sat across from each other at the table. On the table in front of Nolan was a bowl of carrot oatmeal porridge. Vivian’s porridge had several pieces of crushed pig blood added to it.
“I need to go to the church to continue investigating the cultists,” Nolan said while eating his breakfast, sharing his itinerary for the day.
After his rebirth, he had rushed to the rear without stopping. It was to prevent the demons’ destructive activities in Sea Mist Port. Sea Mist Port was a port city located south of Marne City. It was an important hub for trade between the North and South.
The demons’ offensive on the front lines had been repeatedly blocked, and every attack they organized was pushed back by the Allied Forces. Consequently, they began to shift their war strategy. They prepared to cause some major trouble in the rear to destroy the Allied Forces’ logistics and strike at their morale. This was intended to force the Kingdom to move its defenses back, weakening the strength of the front lines.
The Sea Mist Port incident was their first action. It was that disaster that triggered a series of chain reactions, eventually leading to the collapse of the Kingdom.
Nolan had originally only intended to pass through Marne City. He hadn’t planned on staying here for long. However, he had unexpectedly encountered the adorable Vivian and married her. At the same time, he realized there were still demon cultists active in Marne City. He couldn’t just sit by and watch. Therefore, he had to stop and prepare to stay here for a few more days. Only after the cultists were dealt with could he set out again with peace of mind.
***
Nolan finished his breakfast and wiped the corners of his mouth. His gaze fell on Vivian, who was taking small sips of porridge across from him. He thought back to yesterday, to the wedding where Vivian had punched through a Great Demon of Gluttony.
‘It seems I have to find a way to take Vivian with me before I leave. It’s a waste for someone who can fight this well to stay in Marne City. The Hammerfall Tundra front in the North still needs more power to resist the demons…’
As if sensing Nolan’s scrutinizing gaze, Vivian looked up blankly.
‘Why does he have that look in his eyes, like he’s looking at prey…?’
Vivian took a large, slightly annoyed gulp of the porridge in her bowl. The blood clots mixed with the overcooked oats went down her throat, but no feeling of fullness followed. Cooked blood did not provide energy to a vampire. Only fresh blood could maintain their bodily functions—especially human blood.
Vivian knew this well. It was just that, as a vampire, she preferred the fishy smell of this blood-mixed porridge. She opened her Status Window and glanced at it out of the corner of her eye.
[Satiety: 111]
It was fairly sufficient. Her Satiety dropped by 30 points every day. Theoretically, she could last for about 5 days after eating her fill.
But in reality, as her Satiety decreased, her Sanity would also drop along with it. Vivian estimated that a Satiety around 30 was the limit. If it went any lower, she would go mad and start biting people at random.
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