Few days later.
The rain had finally stopped, leaving the training ground damp but usable. The scent of wet earth lingered in the air, and faint sunlight filtered through the clouds above the village.
Amon lay flat on his back, staring at the sky.
Again.
Scarlett stood a few steps away from him, her hands folded under her heavy breasts. She was calm, not breathing heavily.
"You’re distracted today," she said calmly.
Groaning, Amon lifted his head slightly before letting it drop back onto the grass. "I prefer to think I was testing your reflexes."
Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "By losing in under three minutes?"
In reality, Amon was thinking about the towers. He felt like going next ti alone would be dangerous. Vetaal might be with him, but he hadn’t regained much of his powers.
’Should I take Scarlett with ? She’s really strong... but what reason should I give her to co with ?’
He sat up and brushed dirt off his shirt, muttering, "It was four."
He decided to push those thoughts aside.
"It was three," Scarlett corrected him.
He clicked his tongue. "You’re very strict with ti. That’s a bad habit, you know."
She ignored that and turned away, walking toward the edge of the river. Amon quickly scrambled to his feet and followed her.
After a short stretch of silence, they both sat down on the edge of the river.
As usual, Amon chose to sit very close to her. Actually, too close.
Their shoulders almost touched. Scarlett shifted slightly away without looking at him. He was becoming more shaless.
Amon noticed and scooted just a little closer again.
She shot him a flat stare. Her athyst eyes t his black eyes.
He gave her a bright, shaless grin.
"You know," he began casually, leaning back on his hands, "if you keep defeating like this, people might start thinking you enjoy beating ."
"They already think that," she replied dryly.
He gasped dramatically. "How cruel. To destroy my body and my reputation. Julian and the others always tease ."
Scarlett rolled her eyes. "It was you who ca to asking to train with you. To spar with you every day."
Amon tilted his head, studying her profile. The faint dim gray light caught her pale skin, and a few strands of her hair moved gently in the breeze.
"You look very beautiful whether you are rciless or gentle," he said with complete seriousness.
She slowly turned her head toward him.
Cold stare.
Utterly unimpressed.
He placed a hand over his heart. "Ah. That glare. It pierced deeper than your fangs ever could." Finally, he started to spout those cringe lines he read in so weird novels.
"Keep talking," she said flatly, "and I’ll demonstrate."
He chuckled instead of being intimidated.
After a mont, he suddenly straightened and extended his arm toward her, pushing up his sleeve dramatically.
"My dear vampire," he declared in an overly noble tone, "drink my blood. Go on. It’s been a while since you drank it."
She blinked once.
Then, without hesitation, she lightly smacked the top of his head.
Thwack.
"Ouch!" Amon clutched his head exaggeratedly, though he was already laughing. "Violence! When I’m being generous."
"You deserve worse," she muttered.
But after a brief pause, she took his offered arm.
Her fingers wrapped around his forearm. Her fingers cool and firm. She pulled it closer to her without much thought.
Amon watched her with open curiosity, his teasing grin softening.
Scarlett leaned in slightly. Her fangs extended just enough. Then she bit down. Not too deep. She just bite hard enough to drink blood.
Amon flinched at the sharp sting. "Tch—"
The pain was brief. A quick, piercing sensation before settling into a nroaml throb.
Scarlett’s lips remained against his skin as she drank.
There was no rush. She was not greedy. Just controlled, asured sips.
Amon’s initial tension eased. The faint discomfort faded into sothing almost warm. He looked down at her, watching quietly.
Her lashes lowered slightly as she focused. The usual cold sharpness in her eyes had softened. There was sothing strangely peaceful in her expression. A slight blush ran across her soft, smooth cheeks.
His lips curved into a small smile.
’She looked... cute.’
Currently, she was not being intimidating nor distant.
They were just getting close. Very close.
A strand of her hair brushed against his wrist. He resisted the urge to move.
For once, he stayed still.
After a few monts, she withdrew, releasing his arm. A thin line of red marked the bite before it already began to heal.
She wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, her expression returning to its usual calm indifference.
"You’re staring," she said.
Amon blinked.
Then he grinned again. "Just thinking."
"That’s rare. You can actually think with that small brain of yours."
He clutched his chest as if wounded. "You wound more deeply than your bite. For your kind information, I am really smart. I just act like a fool."
Scarlett could tell that he was lying with such an honest and straight face. Sotis she was really surprised at how delusional he could be. Just where did he get that much confidence to say such things with a straight face?
She stood up before he could continue.
"Next ti," she said coolly, "last longer than three minutes."
Amon looked up at her, still smiling despite the faint soreness in his arm.
"Then you’ll have to stop being so amazing."
She paused for half a second.
Then turned away, pretending not to hear that.
Amon watched her walk off, resting his chin on his hand.
"...Definitely cute," he muttered to himself.
Scarlett stopped. She glared back at him coldly. Amon could see her grinding her teeth. Irritation was clearly on her face, and he could see her fair white ear getting slightly pink.
She didn’t say anything to him. No matter how much she told him to stop calling her cute, he never listened. Even after getting beaten by her. She turned forward and started to walk in the direction of the village.
While Amon remained in the sa spot, enjoying the view. Her wide hips were swaying hypnotically.
Every day, Amon would follow her after sparring ended, trying to annoy her or tease her.
But today it was different.
He remained behind while enjoying the view.
Maybe that’s what felt weird to Scarlett. She stopped walking again in the distance, turned back, and looked at him with slight surprise.
She looked a little confused. Her face was like she was wondering if she should ask him sothing.
’What’s she thinking?’
"You... you are not coming with today?"
She still asked out of curiosity.
Amon finally looked at her and smiled. "Oh my, did you miss already? Wait, I am coming with you then. Can’t let my vampire feel lonely." He ran toward her.
On the other side, she was taken aback by his words. She was feeling lonely? What was this body even saying?
Scarlett now looked like soone who imdiately regretted asking that question.
Amon only laughed softly as he caught up to her, falling into step beside her.
They walked toward the village together, the damp ground squelching faintly beneath their boots. The sky was, as always, gray in color. Smoke rose lazily from a few chimneys, and distant voices drifted through the air.
For once, Amon wasn’t talking nonstop.
Scarlett glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
Suspicious.
"Why are you so quiet?" she asked.
He placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "Am I not allowed to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere with my dear vampire?"
"Don’t call that."
"But it suits you."
She exhaled sharply but didn’t argue further.
As they reached the edge of the village, their paths split. Well their houses were close so no problem.
Amon stopped in front of his house and stretched his arms over his head. "Well then, I’ll see you during lunchti."
Scarlett gave him a short nod. "Don’t be late."
"I’m never late."
"You’re always getting late." She turned to leave.
"Hey," Amon called lightly.
She paused and looked back at him.
"You look cute today. Just like always." He ran inside the house.
There was a brief silence.
"...Ah, goodness," she muttered before turning away again.
Amon watched her walk off for a mont before entering his house.
Inside, the room was dimly lit. The wooden floor creaked softly under his steps.
Near the window stood Vetaal.
He was slightly hunched forward, peeking through the side of the wooden fra, his gaze fixed outside.
Amon raised an eyebrow.
"What happened?" he asked casually. "Why are you staring like that?"
Vetaal slowly turned his head toward him.
His expression was unusual—curious, but also faintly tense.
"That girl..." he said. "Is she a vampire?"
Amon blinked once, then nodded. "Yeah. She’s a vampire."
Vetaal’s eyes widened slightly.
Realization flickered across his face.
"...Yeah...You’ve never seen a vampire before. I forgot," Amon said, tilting his head.
Vetaal shook his head slowly. "Yeah. I’ve never seen one before. So they are vampires."
His gaze drifted back toward the window, though Scarlett was already gone from sight.
"But sothing about her feels..." He hesitated.
Amon folded his arms. "Feels what?"
Vetaal’s brows furrowed faintly.
"...Familiar."
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