Jake stepped forward with a serious face. "If you die, I will be very angry."
Lucard looked down at him. "Then I must avoid that terrible fate."
Jake nodded. "Yes."
Lucard turned and left the room.
Orven and Malik followed him after a moment, but they kept their distance. Peter stayed at the door, gripping his sword. Jenny stood beside him, watching Lucard disappear down the stairs. Jake held her hand silently.
Lucard walked out of The Black Lantern Inn and entered the street.
The city had changed.
People still moved, but the way they moved around him was different. Some recognized him and immediately stepped aside. Some whispered his name. A few stared at his burned clothes and pale face. News had already started moving through Gravehold faster than horses. The fallen Vardros bastard had killed Dorian Velkhur. He had done it in front of Marovain’s shop. He had walked away alive.
Lucard ignored all of them.
He walked toward the city gate.
The two Marovain guards followed from a distance. They did not walk directly beside him because Lucard had told them not to disturb him. They also did not want to stand too close to whatever trouble he was about to create. Both men had served House Marovain for years. They had guarded caravans, watched auctions, and escorted noble goods. They had seen many strange customers. Lucard was the first customer who made them wonder if the goods were safer than the buyer.
At the gate, the guards saw Lucard and stiffened.
One of them opened his mouth to ask a question, then noticed the Marovain guards behind him and closed it again. He waved Lucard through.
Lucard left Gravehold.
The road outside the city stretched toward gray fields, old tomb hills, and patches of dark forest. Gravehold’s land always looked half alive and half buried. Low mist hugged the ground near old stone markers. Crows sat on dead trees. Far away, ruined tomb entrances peeked out from hills like broken teeth.
Lucard walked away from the main road. He did not rush. He wanted the watchers to follow.
He could already feel them. Not clearly at first, but enough. Eyes moved behind him. Feet stepped too carefully on dry grass. Leather armor made soft sounds. Someone was trying to keep distance. Someone else was less skilled and broke a twig.
Lucard’s lips curved slightly.
Ravencroft had sent men.
Of course he had.
Baron Ravencroft was cautious, but he was also afraid. He could not let Lucard remain free while Adrian still had the blood spell inside him. He could not openly attack in front of Marovain now, especially after Dorian’s death. But outside the city, in the old fields and tomb woods, things could disappear. Bodies could be blamed on beasts, bandits, or old grave spirits.
Lucard walked deeper into the trees.
The Marovain guards stopped near the edge of the forest.
Orven frowned. "Should we go in?"
Malik looked at the dark trees. "He told us not to disturb him."
"Lady Celia told us to protect him."
"He killed Dorian Velkhur."
"That does not answer me."
"It answers enough."
Orven looked toward the forest path where Lucard had disappeared. "If he dies in there, we die later."
Malik gripped his spear. "Then we follow, but not too closely."
The two guards entered after him, carefully and slowly.
Lucard moved between the trees.
The forest outside Gravehold was not thick like the deep wilderness from earlier. It was old and uneven, full of low branches, stone remains, and tomb walls covered in moss. Some places still had carved grave markers from hundreds of years ago. The air smelled of wet soil, dead leaves, and old bones.
Perfect place for killing.
Lucard stopped near a broken stone arch. He waited.
A voice came from behind him.
"You walked far enough, Mudblood Vardros."
Lucard turned slowly.
Eight men stepped out from the trees.
They wore mixed armor, but their boots and weapons were too good for common bandits. Ravencroft men. Not household guards from the front manor, but hidden blades used for unpleasant work. Two carried crossbows. Three carried swords. One had a spear. One wore mage robes under a gray cloak. The last man looked older and stronger, likely their leader.
Lucard looked at them.
"Only eight?"
The leader’s eyes narrowed. "Arrogant until the end."
"You came to kill me with eight men. That is more insulting than threatening."
One of the swordsmen spat on the ground. "You killed Young Lord Dorian with a trick. Do you think tricks will save you again?"
Lucard looked at him. "Yes."
The man’s face twisted.
The mage raised his staff. "Do not talk too much. Kill him quickly."
The leader lifted his hand. "No. Capture if possible. Lord Ravencroft wants the spell on Young Lord Adrian removed."
Lucard smiled slightly. "Then you should ask politely."
The leader’s expression became cold.
"Break both of his legs."
The two crossbow holding men fired first.
Lucard moved at the same moment. The first bolt passed beside his neck. The second tore through his sleeve, scratching his arm. He stepped behind a tree as the mage sent a gray bone needle spell toward him. The needle struck the trunk and pierced halfway through the wood.
Lucard touched the scratch on his arm and let blood gather on his fingers.
The swordsmen rushed him.
Lucard waited until the first man came close. Then he moved out from behind the tree and threw a blood needle into the man’s eye. The man screamed and fell backward. Lucard caught his wrist, turned his body, and used him as a shield when the second crossbow shot came.
The bolt entered the wounded man’s back.
Lucard drove his dagger into the man’s throat and activated Blood Absorption.
Blood rushed into him.
[Blood Absorption Successful.]
The first body dried quickly.
The others froze for a heartbeat.
That was all Lucard needed.
He threw the drying body into the second swordsman, knocking him off balance. Then Lucard stepped forward and slashed with a blood blade. The blade cut across the man’s neck. Blood sprayed. Lucard pulled it with his fingers before it hit the ground.