章 37: Getting the vampire - 2

- "But you can't live with us. You have to leave."

Esme had a dejected look hearing his words but listened as Rio continued - "We will take care of your sister, but mother isn't ready to trust you yet."

Esme took a deep breath as she decided to calm down, though she was sad that she'll be alone, but the thought that her sister would be safe and taken care of made her happy. She trusted Rio and knew he had no reason to lie, as the only ones she talked about her sister with was Artemis, and hearing how Myra herself who was Artemis's shadow went to get her sister she believed him.

"You don't have to worry about Erza. I will take care of her." Rio said.

"Why are you helping me? Don't you hate me for lying to you all this time." Esme asked as she couldn't believe why Rio would go and ask Artemis for mercy on her behalf.

"Because I have a sister too. And I love her more than anything in this world , and I would do anything to protect her, so I understand." Rio said as he put his hand on her hands.

A tear slid down her cheeks and fell on his hands. Esme tried to move her hands to stop her tears but the chains tightened around her wrists and a muffled groan escaped her mouth.

"I'm sorry." Esme said as Rio sent the guards who came inside away and told them to not come in until he called for them.

"There is something else you need to know, Esme. Which is the real reason why I helped you." Rio said in a serious tone, and Esme realised that too.

"When I was cursed, I wasn't saved by some blessing or purifying magic." Rio said and Esme was surprised as the only way to solve curses was these two options, unless he _.

As soon as that thought crossed Esme's brain she looked at Rio with wide eyes. And when Rio nodded his head, tears started rolling down her eyes, as she asked - "why? Why would you do that."

Rio leaned back on his chair and said - "Because nothing else was working. The curse placed on me was strangely different from regular ones, so the usual methods didn't work. And when I thought I would die, someone offered to save me, and I agreed. I know it was a trick but I didn't want to die, not yet."

"Does Artemis know about it?" - She asked, as she thought Rio had signed a contract with any trickster God*¹, who are known for tricking others and getting them as their followers.

*** [Trickster God - A God whose every action is a trick or prank simply to entertain themselves. They are beings who have lived for eternity and have simply gotten bored with everything, so they do whatever the fuck they want.

- They would trick people in desperate situations to sign weird contracts, they will give out nonsense blessings in life or death battles - whatever it is that can make them smile, is doable for them.

- They aren't part of any faction, as they would destroy themselves if it looked fun. ]

"No, no one does, except you. I didn't want to make them worried." Rio said, as he shook his head.

"What did they ask for in return." Esme asked as no trickster God would ever do anything for free. She looked at him with pity, as she couldn't imagine what kind of messed up deal the God must have put in return for saving him.

Rio took a deep breath and said - "A life for a life. He wants me to kill someone."

"So you're planning to kill me." Esme asked thinking this was the reason why Rio decided to free her prison and promised to look after her sister.

But Rio's exasperated reaction as he stood up from his chair, shocked her as she heard him say - "Never, I would never do that."

"Then who?" Esme asked as she was now confused.

Rio sat back down and continued - "They had given me a name, Noah Winston. Baron Misha's son, from Harendale city. They want him dead in one month's time. I don't have to tell you about the consequences if he survives right." A small defeated chuckle escaped his lips as he said the last sentence and Esme could already imagine the details.

"What do you want, Rio." Esme asked as she was now confused with all the information that she learned. She felt weak and tired, first the torture then the thought of leaving her sister behind and dying alone, then when she found about her sister being free, she learned about Rio.

'If only I had protected you better. If I had confessed everything sooner. Why does it always happen to me. Why can't I just protect anyone close to me, why? '

The countless thoughts of blaming herself were going inside her head, when she heard his voice, sweet yet pleading - "Will you help me Esme."

She looked at him as his eyes were getting wet but ignoring that, Rio continued saying - "I can't tell anyone about this, and mother won't let me go out alone. Will you help me, just once. I promise I will do everything in my power to cure Erza and take care _ "

Esme tried to stand up but the chains started tightening around her hands and feet and some blood started coming out from her burned skin, but she ignored the pain and asked - "Cure her, Is she ok. What happened to her?"

Rio looked at her in shock and then said in an apologetic tone - "I'm sorry, I thought you knew."

"What happened to her?" She asked again and this time Rio could see her eyes were getting red and soon the chain around her neck started glowing and blood started coming out from her eyes, as she was forced to close her eyes again.

'Man they sure were thorough in holding her. How the heck she escaped from here in the novel, with all these chains and artifacts around her. Sigh I'd be dead if they had this much plot armor.'

Rio shook her head and said - "After she was made a slave, she was sent to work in the mana stone mines. Mother said that due to regular contact with light mana stones and not getting blood for supplements. She had been sick and diagnosed with RATTEN*²."

[RATTEN - A disease many vampires get afflicted with when they're exposed with light mana for a long time Or weakness from not getting the blood or curse mana supplement over a long period.

- As time passes it transforms them into undeads who're mindless creatures, solely roaming for hunger and slaughter.

- Ratten simply means rotten, which describes them perfectly. this disease can be cured in early stages but said to be incurable after a long time passes]

As Esme heard his words she was shocked scared as she fell down on her seat, tears continued to fall down her face.

Rio looked at her with pity in his eyes as he said - "You don't have to worry Esme. I have already talked to my mother and she agreed to help her, when she learned that you helped me catch the real traitors."

"What're you talking about?" Esme asked as she couldn't understand a word he said.

Rio smiled a little and said - "When I was saved from the curse, THEY told me about the traitors in my house who knew curse magic. I told my mother that you helped me identify them, so in return she might help your sister Erza too. I will make sure of it."

Esme didn't know what to say, she just looked at Rio's face which still had that reassuring kind smile and couldn't believe that even after learning about her years of betrayal and nearly dying he was still thinking about her and her sister. It was then that she remembered that he too had asked for her help but she got too engrossed in her sister's worry that she forgot about him.

She made a firm decision and said - "Thank you Rio. I really am sorry for everything. I didn't want to but , I'm sorry. I will help you. Leave it to me."

Hearing his words Rio's smile widened and he said - "Thank you Esme. Maybe once everything is over we'll all be together again."

"I would like that too." Esme said grateful.

"Once I leave this room they would come to release you, but for safety reasons they will put a mana tracker in your body. I tried to tell them not to but, I hope you understand." Rio said and Esme nodded.

As Rio walked towards the gate but suddenly held his head and bowed down as a muffled groan of pain escaped his mouth. "Ummkhh"

Esme looked at him worriedly surprised by this sudden reaction, but then he turned towards her and said - "THEY said that you should be careful when dealing with Noah. Don't take his lightly as a kid and go easy. He could possibly have protection from some other Gods, so only take action when you're fully sure about it. You will only have one chance if you fail then _ . And they need to see his body as an offering." Rio said and without looking back at Esme who had a surprised face, walked away. As he opened the door he said - "I'm sorry for making you do this Esme."

Esme watched as the door closed behind him and promised herself that she would finish her job as soon as possible to help Rio. She clenched her fists as she thought -

'Even if it's against Gods, I would do everything to protect you and my sister this time. I would never fail anyone, ever again.'

"We will meet again, Rio. This time I will be your shadow as my own wish."

While Esme was determined to save Rio from this tricky God's clutches, he was walking towards his room thinking about what to eat during lunch.

'That went better than I expected.'

'Looking at her expressions, I guess I don't have to worry about Noah now.'

'RIP prophet. Live well in some other world.'

A/N - So this is how a nobody gets his first vampire subordinate.