章 86: Chapter 82: The Saint
The study of heraldry in Elras was indeed a headache for everyone who undertook it. The intricate family crests, combined with snippets of family history, made it a mandatory subject for nobles. Fars had also found it quite bothersome at first, but it wasn't all in vain. At least he could now deduce the identity of the young man before him.
Families that could incorporate the sun into their crests were exceedingly rare on the continent. The sun symbolized light, making this emblem a mark of families blessed by the divine. Only those who had rendered significant service to the church could add the word "Saint" to their names. In fact, only three families on the entire continent had the honor of permanently attaching the title of "Saint" to their surnames.
Beneath the sun, there was a staff—there was no doubt it belonged to the Saint Michael family, known for producing three popes. The other two saintly families were the Saint Sophia family, represented by a book inscribed with the Ten Commandments of the God of Light, signifying their generations of devout preachers, and the Saint Augustine family, which had gradually declined due to dwindling numbers, yet their members still bore the crown of thorns, with their sanctity unquestioned.
Encountering a member of the Saint Michael family left Fars feeling somewhat helpless. Offending other noble families might be manageable, but the Saint Michael family was not something Fars could afford to cross. Moreover, the church had numerous methods for tracking dark creatures, and Fars was genuinely concerned about being targeted. Killing was out of the question, but having left his mark here, he worried that if he was overlooked, he might end up being slaughtered by the bandits, and he certainly didn't want that blame to fall on him. It was quite the troublesome situation.
While vampires and saintly families were sworn enemies, it didn't mean that Fars could kill a family elite nurtured by the Saint Michael family without consequence. Who knew if this young man might one day become a pope? This was a lesson passed down through the generations of the Saint Michael family, reflecting their equal treatment and expectations for their descendants.
Perhaps due to Fars's obvious dark aura, the future pope of the Saint Michael family began to awaken. Since he had already left his mark, Fars made a decision before the young man was fully conscious. If he was willing to cooperate and sign a contract to ensure Fars's safety and anonymity, Fars wouldn't mind temporarily setting aside the enmity between vampires and the church to save him. After all, Fars had yet to have any direct dealings with the church, and having received no teachings from his kin, he wouldn't let the act of saving a sworn enemy weigh heavily on his conscience. If the young man proved too stubborn, then he would simply send him back to the divine realm. No, with Danis around, he wouldn't even make it to the divine realm.
"Hey, kid, you're awake," Fars said coldly, giving the young man a light slap on the face to rouse him, hoping to prevent him from foolishly forcing Fars to kill him.
The boy seemed to regain his senses, carefully surveying his surroundings. Upon realizing he was still in the same cell, he scrutinized Fars. The moment he recognized Fars as a vampire, his expression shifted to one of tension.
Seeing that the young man understood his predicament, Fars continued, "You're not completely daft, are you? Is this how all members of the Saint Michael family behave?"
A one-man show was difficult to maintain, and the boy's silence made Fars wonder if he had been driven mad by the bandits. Fars slapped his face again. Finally, the young man could no longer hold back and retorted fiercely, "You despicable vampire! Get your filthy hands off me!"
At least he could still talk, which was a relief. Fars found himself at a loss with this clueless young noble. Even in such dire straits, he still carried an air of invulnerability, as if no one dared to touch him.
"Oh, so you can still speak? That's good. Little priest, do you want me to save you? You're lucky to have run into me today; otherwise, another vampire would have drained your blood by now," Fars said with a sinister laugh, his demeanor making him appear quite wicked.
To his surprise, the boy shot back, "You're not from the Hill family, are you?" His tone carried an undeniable certainty, causing Fars to lose his smile. After all, it was true that blood with the Hill name flowed through his veins.
Seeing Fars's reaction, the boy realized he had guessed correctly. Trained from a young age to discern the auras of various noble bloodlines, he recalled a piece of advice passed down in his family: any vampire offering you help was either from the Hill family or a madman. It was only natural for him to identify Fars. However, those who had interacted with the Hill family had also been warned: never question their intentions, for the help they offered might come at a steep price, yet sometimes they were more trustworthy than those who professed to uphold the light.
Since the vampire before him was willing to save him, the boy pondered what price he would have to pay for such salvation, especially after enduring so much suffering in recent days. He cautiously asked Fars, "If you save me, what do I need to give in return?"
Fars was genuinely surprised by the boy's willingness to negotiate. Had he known that the Hill family had such a good reputation in this regard, he would have been even more astonished. What had initially seemed like a troublesome situation was now turning into an opportunity.
"Looking at you, it seems you don't have anything of value. I can save you, but you'll need to sign a small contract ensuring you won't cause me trouble or expose my whereabouts in the future. Of course, favors are a two-way street; if we meet again and you need help, we can discuss it then," Fars stated, not being greedy. His previous contract with a demon had only required a guarantee of his safety, and the so-called favors were merely potential future exchanges.
The boy thought it over and concluded that the terms were more than fair, especially since it concerned his life. He nodded in agreement, signaling his acceptance of Fars's conditions.
However, a verbal agreement wouldn't suffice. Fars had learned how to cast a contract spell directly, no longer needing a magical contract scroll. After murmuring a low incantation, a phantom contract materialized in the air before the boy. Coming from a prominent family, he had seen this method of signing contracts before and recited the terms as outlined, ultimately swearing his name to affirm the contract's binding nature.
At the bottom of the contract, the name "Reni Saint Michael" shimmered into existence. With the contract complete, Fars produced a sharp knife and easily freed the boy from his bindings.
Having fulfilled his part of the contract, Fars sensed that his main objective for the night was still pending. He prepared to leave and deal with the bandit leaders. However, he found it strange that the boy was following him.
"Why aren't you leaving? What are you doing following me? This is a bandit den; as a priest, you should be running for your life," Fars turned and snapped at Reni. In truth, Fars hoped the boy would return home obediently to avoid any trouble that might come back to him. Besides, he still owed him a favor and wanted to leverage that when Reni grew stronger.
Reni looked a bit embarrassed and said, "Could you help me retrieve my belongings?"
This request was not difficult, and Fars didn't refuse, but it added another entry to his debt of favors. For such a trivial matter, he had no interest in forming another contract. He strode confidently toward the hall where the bandits were feasting.
Having practiced his high-level spells for some time, Fars was now proficient in using several powerful ones. Combined with his mid- and low-level spells, he easily sent the group of bandits in the hall into chaos. Recognizing Fars as a mage, several bandit leaders attempted to close in on him. But this played right into Fars's hands; as they approached within five meters, a chilling wave of frost erupted, temporarily freezing them in place. Since he didn't have Danis's assistance this time, the freezing effect was significantly weaker than when she was present. However, that brief moment was enough for Fars to deal with them. A few low-level shadow arrows swiftly dispatched the unprepared bandit leaders, piercing through their skulls.
Witnessing their leader fall so quickly, the remaining bandits panicked and attempted to flee. However, having seen Fars in action, they knew they couldn't escape without risking exposure. One by one, they met their end. Fars, unfazed by the gradually cooling blood of the three bandit leaders, began to feast voraciously in front of Reni, a saint.
Reni, however, remained remarkably calm as he watched Fars slaughter a room full of people, showing no reaction at all. This made Fars question whether he was truly a devout follower of the God of Light. How could these champions of love and justice stand by and watch the defenseless be ruthlessly slaughtered? Yet the name on the contract confirmed Reni's lineage from the Saint Michael family.
"The divine says that good and evil will be repaid in kind. The church has always been merciless toward evildoers," Reni explained, sensing Fars's confusion.
"Then you should look for your belongings. I'm leaving now; perhaps we'll meet again in the future. As for the people locked up behind, you can free them later. It'll give you a good opportunity to preach your doctrine," Fars said, and before Reni could say anything else, he spread his wings and took off into the night.
Watching Fars fly away, Reni stood amidst the corpses in the hall, muttering to himself, "The Hill family is indeed one of the more interesting bloodlines among vampires. Fars de Hill, huh? I never expected a vampire noble could so easily dispatch a room full of people, all of whom were at least level four. It seems I, as a priest, am rather useless."
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