You could imagine how the incident shook the entire caravan. They concluded it had been the work of a vampire, but they found no trace of her, or of me. One of the biggest reasons I was not suspected in the slightest was because I stood beneath the sun without fear. A normal vampire would have blistered the moment sunlight touched their skin. They could never withstand the UV light pouring from the sky.

After they convinced themselves there was no vampire hiding among us, they held a ceremony for the fallen. Gold coins were placed on their eyes before sending their souls toward the Holy Realm, the place they believed all loyal followers would return to. Their bodies were buried deep beneath the soil, and soon after, the caravan pressed forward again.

Elira gave me a few knowing looks, but I ignored her. I settled in my corner of the wagon with Beelzebub, keeping my hands busy playing with his tiny paws so she would stop trying to read me.

"You should drink, replenish your strength." Rovan tossed something toward me. It was a small water pouch, and I caught it effortlessly.

I handed it to Elira. "I am alright. I drank from someone else this morning. You do not need to worry about me. I will take care of myself."

My tone carried more displeasure than I intended.

"I see." His reply was calm, steady, not even slightly offended.

"Rovan, she did not mean it," Elira whispered as she leaned closer to him. "My master is simply tired. It would be better if the two of you talked at another time."

I turned away. I did not want to hear them, but my enhanced hearing caught every word regardless. Their voices were soft, almost gentle, and every small exchange reached me whether I liked it or not.

Maybe it was good for Elira to have someone else to talk to. Maybe I was overthinking everything. Whatever. It did not matter to me who she spent time with or what she chose to do.

We were just friends after all.

Just friends...

Slowly, a full week slipped by. I managed to move quietly under everyone's radar, pretending to drink the holy water without ever letting it touch my lips. It was the only thing that could expose me as a demon, so I stayed cautious every single day.

Today, the caravan stopped at a small town to refill supplies and rest. I stepped out into the street with Beelzebub perched comfortably on my shoulder. The chill in the air felt refreshing on my skin. When I reached a local pub, I pushed the door open and slipped inside. Alcohol was safe enough for me to drink, and after a week of pretending, I needed something that burned on the way down.

I had borrowed a hooded cloak from one of the caravan members. Without it, I would have drawn every pair of eyes in that building thanks to the seductive dress Lyssandra forced on me. At least this way, I could blend in and enjoy a moment of quiet.

The pub walls were covered with parchment sheets listing quests and bounties for adventurers. One in particular caught my eye the moment my fingers brushed it.

A bounty on me.

"Heh, interested in hunting this one down?" a voice cut in sharply.

A young woman approached, clad in leather armor with a hood pulled low and two daggers strapped to her sides. She snatched the paper from my fingers with a smug little motion that grated on my nerves.

"Not really. You can have it. But with your strength, I doubt you could hunt a vampire," I replied, letting the mockery slip through as a small revenge for her rudeness. Her attitude deserved at least that much.

"What would you know?" Her eyes burned with anger as she jabbed a finger toward me. "Look at you. No weapon, no party. And you want to tell me what I can or cannot hunt? Are you trying to act powerful with that pretty face of yours?"

I did not bother responding. It was a waste of breath.

"Ha, you tell her, Lucy." A man pushed himself away from a nearby table and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He wore a nasty smile despite having a rather handsome face. His eyes twisted with something unhinged, a kind of crazed amusement that made my skin prickle. "This foolish woman is so scared of you she cannot even speak. But do not blame her. Anyone would be tempted by ten thousand gold coins."

Holy shit, ten grand on my head? I could not decide if I should be terrified or pleased. The thought made me want to laugh, but my face stayed perfectly calm, not a single change in my expression.

I focused my eyes on him, letting the Eyes of the God flicker through my vision. His aura glowed bright white, just like Elira's. The woman beside him carried a dark grey aura, the same shade I had.

Maybe I had underestimated these two. At least a little.

I smiled as they mocked me. If either of them ever came into real contact with me in battle, those little grins would drop straight off their faces. Even if that man was slightly stronger than me, there was no universe where I believed I could not handle the two of them together.

"Now, now, why are you bullying the newcomer?" A thick voice rolled from the table behind us. A whole group of men sat there, all looking like they had been carved out of stone, armored and broad-shouldered, sharing drinks as if the pub belonged to them.

"Come here, the three of you. Join us. Let us drink tonight. Drinks are on me," the man continued, lifting his mug. "I finally found us a new quest. The caravan of Highmount is in town, and all who want to join them are invited by their leader. A huge bounty is waiting for anyone bold enough. Let us join them and get rich together."

So this was how they plan to gather more cannon fodder. The caravan is spreading the word through the local towns with adventurers hanging around. Good. This is a perfect chance to drink a little, blend in, and loosen a few tongues.

I wanted to hear what these adventurers knew, how strong they were, and what kind of skills they carried. Information was a weapon, and if I wanted the Qillin bones, I needed every advantage before making my move.

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