Author's Note:
Hello ^^
Please read this before reading this chapter:
This is a side story about the side male characters that still haven't had their chance to shine at the main story or haven't had a highlight to themselves yet.
This is part 1 of 2 (since I couldn't finish all of them in time and still wanted to post lmao), and I'll also be making one for the side female characters soon, once I introduce all of them properly.
Those who'll have their story told here are: Gutierre, Frode, Nicolas, Raphael, Cypress, Noor, Miyuki and Anwar (basically with the exception of Alkaios, Jiwon, Rainier, Lowe, Fleuri and Dacre since they have their stories told a lot in the main story and other side stories).
The scenes here are what they consider their turning point of their lives until the point of the main story we're at.
As all of the side stories, anything that is mentioned here and is relevant to the main story will still be mentioned there, so you're not required to read this if you dislike any of the characters or if you wish to read only one of them is also fine.
Part 1 consists of the stories of: Cypress, Noor, Miyuki and Gutierre (Noor's my favorite tbh hahaha, the longest as well).
Thank you for reading, I am working on the next chapter of the main story too, so don't worry it'll be done soon ^^
Enjoy!
"Walk, march, run, take the path that'll lead to your doom.''
GUTIERRE
♫ RESCUE MY HEART BY LIZ LONGLEY
''I can't do this anymore, Gutierre'', the faint voice of his wife, the sound of her tears falling on the old table, it all takes over the man's system, unable to even open his mouth. ''You're so selfish, buying a title we did not need, embarking in dangerous businesses and taking on mercenary work?'' The woman is visibly tired, her sapphire eyes are sunken, her face paler than usual, her short auburn hair is a mess and her voice is trembling. ''I'm always fearful I'll wake up to a knock on our door telling me you're dead.'' She's barely able to say the last words, trembling.
A couple forged by fate, back when Gutierre was a fresh 20 year-old, an ambitious merchant, desperate to make it big, ready to take upon any risk he could. That's when he met Barbara, her eyes, her smile, everything, he became instantly infatuated. And when she stumbled upon his business, ready to spend her hard earned money as a maid with his products…
The rest was history, Gutierre stumbled a bit, but eventually they married, and in order to provide her with a more stable life, he stopped taking risks, and even spent a lot of money to buy a Baron title, no land but it was enough to be able to prove to her they could be happy.
Two children and 14 years later, he hit a wall.
Money was short, and what was he to do when he promised to give Barbara the life she deserved? High risk, high return deals, using his body for labor and even - unproudly - committing a few crimes. It was all worth it, his eldest enrolling at a prestigious noble school, their youngest mingling with children of high nobility and his wife finally being able to buy those pretty dresses she only admired from afar.
But everything has a cost.
''I did it all for us'', he says, swallowing dry, the moment the words leave his mouth he regrets them.
A gaze filled with loathing is all his wife directs at him.
No, she was happy with a small cabin and honest work, as long they were together, as long as their children were healthy and happy. This moment, that's the moment it hits him, all he did, all the risks, the almost deaths, they were all for his own ego. He couldn't stand not being the successful man he hoped for at the prime age of 34. So he ignored the pleas of his wife, the tears of his children, and kept going out there and putting everything on the line, again, and again.
Disgracing their memory of a loving and caring father and husband.
He lost birthdays, anniversaries, dinners and dates.
All for what? A money he'll now bask in alone?
''I'm sorry, Barbara'', he whispers, despair filling his heart, he knows it's too late, the eyes of a woman that gave up on him a long time ago look back at him. He kneels, attempting to reach for her hand, but it's shoved away. ''I love you'', he's sincere, at least that never changed.
''You were at a brothel last week'', the woman answers, leaning back on the chair, her face is red, and the tears don't seem to stop streaming down her face. She, however, remains calm, her tone never changing. She can't risk waking up the children.
But a muffled whimper gives away that it was too late for that, the two adults direct their gaze at the stairs where their eldest is hidden.
''Alma?'' Startled, the woman cleans her tears and her throat, looking at the crouching girl crying her eyes out. ''What are you doing up this late? You have classes tomorrow!''.
The girl doesn't move, her eyes are red and she looks distraught.
''Are you guys having a divorce?'' The 12 year-old girl asks.
''No''. Gutierre says.
''Yes''. Barbara answers at the same time.
Alma's eyes open in shock at the same time as Gutierre's heart drops to his stomach becoming frozen in place.
He wants to beg more, ask her to give him a chance, he'll change. He can change, there's nothing more important for him than his family. His mouth doesn't open, and he can't even move, what pathetic expression is on his face right now? Will his relationship with his daughter and son be forever soiled?
''Why? Father, did you cheat?'' The girl's words seem to snap him out of his spiral.
''Of course not! I love your mother'', he answers, pained.
''Then why were you at a whore's house?'' The girl yells.
''Alma! Watch your mouth!'' Barbara reprimands the girl.
''No! I was there to meet a client, I didn't even interact with the girls working there! I promise'', he says, desperately attempting to cling to the woman, who steps away from him.
''That's not the only reason for this!'' Barbara says, crying again. ''You come home late, misses every single landmark of the children's lives and I know about the scars under your clothes, even if you try to hide them from us!''
He doesn't have a rebuttal for that, she's right, of course she is.
''Gutierre, I loved you so much'', her words hurt him more than the knife that pierced his stomach a few days ago. ''But this won't work anymore''.
''I can change'', he says, warm tears finally falling down his cheeks, as he's unable to hold in his feelings anymore.
And at the stairs is their eldest, watching her parents fighting, right in front of her. There's an indescribable feeling rising on her chest, a pain she never experienced before in all of her twelve years of age.
''I can't wait for that, Gutierre, this'', she points at them, ''Isn't working anymore for a long time''.
''Barbara…'''
''Shut up!'' Alma yells, her face completely red. ''You're both insufferable! Mother you're selfish and father… You're everything but a proper father. Can't you see that Yair is watching?'' She looks at them as if she can't recognize her parents any longer, and at the top of the stairs, near the start of the hallway is the four year-old with a terrified expression on his face.
''Go to your rooms,'' Gutierre says, getting up from the floor, it's clear his priorities are all wrong in the first place. He's a terrible father and husband.
They're all better off without him.
Once the two children are gone, he turns to his wife.
''Decide how much you'd like to take care of them, you can live here, I'll get a house at the border of the Capital and… I'm sorry'', he says, attempting to smile, but failing. ''I love you all so much'', he says, shaking his head. ''You don't deserve someone like me, you can tell the children this is all my fault.''
''Gutierre…''
''Barbara, they need at least one parent that is stable and loving, don't let their image of you get ruined, I am already unworthy of being called their father''.
''I'm sorry'', she says, sobbing. He stays there watching as the love of his life sobs in pain in front of him, all because of his choices and actions. Once she calms down the woman speaks again: ''If you ever decide to clean up your life for good, I'll be here, waiting.''
He nods, quite aware he'll never come back to her, not because he'll get over his feelings, but because he'll only further ruin her life if he does so.
What he intends to do is, someday, become a worthy person to be called father again.
That'll be his only goal from now on, fixing the relationship with his children whose lives he ruined.
CYPRESS
♫ TRIP AROUND THE SUN BY MISTERWIVES
Pain. Anger. Fear. Despair. Hopelessness.
There's art in being able to make someone feel all of these in the spam of thirty seconds. And more than that, to just be completely unable to respect and love your own kin? Ha. That must be even more impressive. At least that's what Cypress White is thinking as he runs across the dense forests of the Whisperia Kingdom, behind him there's the sound of dozens of soldiers after him, weapons on hand, ready to cut off the head of their Crown Prince at the order of their insane King.
All because he wanted to save the sacred tree that made this nation what it is today.
His back burns, he can feel the tree crying as it burns far away from his gaze. How could someone so hungry for power fight against a gift from god?
Go back. A voice in his head rings, but Cypress doesn't stop, not even when his shoulder-length green hair gets stuck on a branch, part of it being ripped from his scalp, or when he trips and loses one of his shoes, nothing is able to stop him.
"No", he whispers. "Hes going to kill me!"
He's killing her. The voice speaks again, yelling. Cypress shakes his head, he can barely save himself, how is he supposed to save an ancient tree? The pain in his back worsens but he doesn't stop, the dense forest protects him from the eyes of the soldiers, but soon he'll reach the beach.
"Your highness, there's a boat at the shore, you must escape, please survive!" One of his oldest servants said, he should've ignored the screams, he should've stayed a good son. But no, the pain was unbearable, he woke up screaming almost every night, the sound of the World Tree bleeding was too much for him.
The greed of his father that drove the old men into such a spree of heresy against the patron god of the Whisperia Kingdom was seen as distasteful by the people, by his kin, by his god, there's no one that is on his side. However the path of blood that took him to the throne is still fresh in the people's minds, the fear of death is much greater than the anger.
But Cypress didn't have a choice. The imprint burnt into his skin of the World Tree made by the Nature's god when he was simply a child was too much for him to bear. Conformity in pain and death in rebellion all just felt the same to him.
So he confronted his father.
Yelled at his mother.
Slapped his sisters.
And made his youngest brother cry of despair.
From esteemed Crown Prince, smart, loved by nature and the people of the Kingdom, to a fugitive with a bounty on his head.
The forest protects him, the trees hide his tracks and the small vines trip the soldiers getting dangerously too close.
However, the god still yells inside his head, begging him to save the tree they both loved so dearly.
Cypress. Please. The god begs, gods don't beg. There's no use though, even if the tree cries, the god begs and his back burns, he won't look back, he won't risk it all for the happiness of a god that can't even have the faith of his people.
"I won't go back", he whispers, hearing the waves louder and louder. "You didn't save me when he hurt me. Why should I save anything you ask of me?''
You love her as well. The god's words make Cypress flinch and stop for a moment before stepping on the beach in front of him. He's right, since he was a child he had felt a connection to the World Tree, a longing, a love he could not describe, he cared for it, treated it like a friend. And now he's turning his back to her yells of despair. But what could he even do? Go against his father? Sure he has mana and he is smart, however what could possibly a 15 year-old do against a King?
Reason with him? He tried and look where it got him.
Just the day prior he was having tea with his mother and younger brother, talking about going to the Exos Empire to study at the Academy, his hopes and dreams of developing the Whisperia Kingdom's nature in order to increase its tourism revenue. What use will any of that have now? He'll never attend the Academy, he'll never become King, and most of all, he'll never see his family again.
It's better to just consider them dead.
''If you care so much, then why didn't you do anything? You have Priests, send down revelations'', he says under his breath, starting to move again.
You know why Cypress, they have no faith, you're the only one I am able to talk with. They're all corrupt… The god goes silent, in his lack of words Cypress can understand his feelings. Lucifer is the god of Nature, and just like his title he loves nature more than anything else, but just like any god, he also loves humans - or at least claims to -, such love drove him to bless the White family and the Whisperia Kingdom, gifting it the World Tree as a sign of his love and even sending his patron species - the elves - to live in its forests.
What use was that, though? The elves turned their backs at him, preferring to live a life of eternal suffering than to give the god another prayer. And now, the humans are turning their backs just as much, but this time, his Saint isn't willing to fight a war for him.
To be fair, his Saint 500 years ago was a King, not a hunted ex-Crown Prince with absolutely no backing.
I cannot interfere, it goes against the code of the gods. Lucifer says in almost a whisper, his voice echoing inside of Cypress' head as the boy pushes the boat the servant provided him towards the Blue Sea. In the distance the boy can hear the soldiers approaching the shore.
''I do not owe you anything, Lucifer, but I'll tell you one thing. This Kingdom will fall before I perish, you have my word for it'', Cypress whispers, jumping inside the boat once the water is deep enough. Sailing the open sea with nothing but his body clothes, a small boat and a nagging god in his head.
If he survives this, he'll do his best to explore his potential to the maximum and then come back to the Kingdom, just to burn it all to ashes.
NOOR
♫ NEVER SAY DIE BY NEONI
The face of a man that has lost all hope is one filled with nothingness, there's no spark in their eyes, no conviction in their tones and no intent behind their actions. One would imagine that being in a situation where certain death is to be expected could drive any men or women towards pure despair, madness and make them lose any sliver of hope.
However, that's not how Noor works. In the situation he's in, most would've died long ago.
A tall, muscular man now reduced to skin and bones, his previous physique that made anyone jealous is nowhere to be seen, and that's not the only thing missing from the man he once was.
A hole where his left eye used to be, dried blood all over his body and face, his skin is dry and a few tones darker than his already usual tanned light brown skin, and the biggest loss yet, his right leg is gone, cut off clean at the knee.
Well, it is to be expected to lose a few things when you're stranded in a sea where no human has left alive.
The Red Sea covers half of Earth, its name is due to its dark red color just like blood, but its waters isn't what makes it so dangerous. Sure, differently from the salt waters of the Blue Sea, the Red Sea has acidic waters, most boats are melted simply by attempting to navigate it, and the humans? Melted that not even their bones are left. But even if you're able to make a boat that survives those waters and use mana to protect your body, there are evil creatures there.
Adapted to survive in its harsh environment, every fish, creature or monster becomes several times more dangerous. There isn't a catalogue of creatures that live there, most being told across tales of people that saw it from afar.
Although it is known that the Red Sea is extremely dangerous, a lot of adventurers attempted to cross it. Enough to say that none have ever returned alive. Sometimes only their boats would appear on a shore somewhere, completely empty.
Noor is certainly adventurous, he's a pirate after all. Since he was a child he lived in the Blue Sea, fishing, singing and fighting, oh, how he loves fighting. Be it merchants, naval brigades or even nobles having a trip, stealing was a given, and killing? Well, he was proud of his head count.
But don't let his intimidating and violent tendencies as a pirate cloud your judgement, the man is simply entranced by adventure and conquests. Being a pirate is… well, not only illegal but seen with disgust by regular folks. When he was living mostly at sea as a child, he didn't care about the stares or disgusted comments, however as he became older he realized such lifestyle was unsustainable. At age 25 he was under someone else's command and was forced to kill innocent people - or at least those he deemed innocent, and not only that, but the Captain was addicted to achievements. So when he said they were going to navigate the Red Sea, well, Noor wanted out.
He's not suicidal after all.
Retiring as a pirate is hard, but not impossible. Noor's taste for fighting helped him to become proficient with a lot of weapons and fighting styles, so all he had to do was 1 x 1 the boss and piss out. But how could he have predicted that the Captain was not going to let him out, after all, losing the best fighter before entering the Red Sea? That for sure would be suicidal.
So one of his colleagues put a sleeping pill in his mead and when Noor woke up he was at the Red Sea.
Completely alone, in a floating plank of what was the ship.
He laughed so much that he attracted monsters. But that's the thing about Noor. He'll fight until his last breath to survive.
With his sword being the only thing beside his clothes in his possession, he fought, and fought, until days became weeks and weeks became months.
Consuming raw monster meat to survive, drinking rain water and using the occasional remains of other boats to increment his floating plank.
He can't recall how many months have passed, perhaps even years have gone by since he woke up surrounded by blood-like waters. Unable to even tell where he is since he was never a good navigator.
There's no one back home, no one that'll miss him, no lady at the shores waving her handkerchief waiting for his return or even parents to nag him. Will this be his end? In a place he never even wanted to be in the first place?
"I could've at least fought a King hand-on-hand before dying", he murmurs regretfully. Of course, that's what he truly regrets. Romance? What for, it won't feed him. Friends? Those will only stab his back and toss him to the sharks. Family? He doesn't even know what that is.
The only thing that won't disappoint him is his own fighting force.
Even now, waiting for his doom, his grip is still tight on his sword and his gaze fixed on the unusually calm waters. The sun is burning his skin, but he's already used to the feeling.
To sleep, Noor takes 10 minutes naps every hour, he can tell the time using the sun at least, a few times he would sleep too much and wake up with the sound of beasts approaching him, mostly merfolks and mutated sharks. Luckily for him, although he has no mana, he trained so much since childhood he's able to even fight the merfolks enchanted songs by pure will.
Of course, if the wood between him and the water were to disappear, he would be dead for sure. Since he wouldn't be able to use mana to protect himself.
Just another nap, he thinks, feeling his head floaty and his conscience fading, for the third time that day.
He wakes up with a bump on the "boat" he was floating in. His eyes open fast as he swings his sword almost instinctively, but before the blade cuts its target it's stopped by another sword, the metal flashing sound makes the man wake up fully.
A child. No. Teenager, probably around 16 or 17, dark hair and white eyes, staring back at him, standing on the dark sand.
Sand?
Noor jumps, desperately leaving the "boat", not caring for anything else but being safe on land. I did it, he thinks, warm tears falling down his face, the path they make burn on his sunburnt skin, however he doesn't care.
"Who are you?" The teen asks.
Noor turns to see him again, his previously white eyes are now two different colors. Dark like the night and white like the light on a dark room.
"I'm Noor, a…" He pauses, can he even call himself a pirate anymore? No, he doesn't even want to navigate waters anymore, kill monsters, people, no, this is all… Futile now. He almost died. He'll be safe on land now. He cleans his throat before speaking again: "I got lost at Sea".
The boy stares at him, his odd eyes shine with something dangerous, in Noor's bones he can feel it, this boy is more dangerous than any monster he faced in the Red Sea.
"You were lost in the Red Sea?" The boy asks, his tone is accusatory, which Noor can't blame him for, there's no report anywhere of anyone that was able to cross the Red Sea.
"It sounds fantastical…" Noor says, a bit dizzy,he's hopping around and finally falls to the ground, who knew it would be hard to stand on one leg only? "But that's what happened".
"Your majesty! What are you doing?" A loud voice comes from afar, Noor watches as a boy runs towards them.
"Don't call me that, Anwar, I'm not King yet", the teen frowns.
"Oh, c'mon, you're practically King already", the other boy says with a short laugh, he's not as tall as the first boy, his skin is tanned and his skin is covered in scars, giving him a rugged appearance together with his brown eyes and hair. "Who's this?" The boy asks once he notices Noor on the sand.
"A man that was lost" the first teen answers. "Let's take him to the Temple before deciding what to do next".
"I appreciate it", Noor says, feeling his body finally reaching the point of exhaustion, he can finally rest.
What if this is just a dream?
An illusion?
Perhaps the merfolk finally enthralled him and he's still at the Red Sea, wasting away.
"How did you lose your eye?" The scarred teen asks, helping Noor to get up and stand.
"Sea serpent", Noor answers, "Four feet tall", he snorts, "Stuck it's fang on my eye and I cleanly cut its head off", shrugging he continues: "I had to pull it all off so that the venom couldn't reach my brain", he taps his finger under the lost eye.
"Woah, that must've hurt", he comments as he helps Noor walk.
The first boy speaks again: "That's impressive, do you have mana? How did you survive such ordeals?"
"Well, I am quite… scruffy, now, but I was the best fighter in the Civa Kingdom!" He says proudly.
"Isn't that all the way across the Sea? How long were you lost?" The scarred boy asks, frowning.
"At least three months, I am aware of how fake it all sounds, but I can assure you I ain't lying". Noor sighs. "I was tricked by old friends and woke up already at the Red Sea with no land in sight. I didn't give up, though, I fought and fought… A leg and an eye were a cheap price for my survival".
"What do you intend to do now?" The odd eyed boy asks.
"Settle at land, hopefully wherever I am accepted, perhaps work as a mercenary", Noor nods alongside his words, no more Sea for him.
"How many men do you think you could knock down by yourself?" His question is oddly specific and…
"20? Depends if it's by fist or sword. Fist I could take 16 and by sword 20, considering they're also armed", Noor says, by experience those numbers are quite realistic for him. "Why?"
The boy remains silent, but the other one speaks first, his lips pursed with annoyance: "Your majesty, I know you enjoy giving people chances, but you cannot possibly be thinking about…"
"Anwar, we need more skilled people if we're going to war", the boy says, he doesn't look a day past 17, however his eyes are dark and heavy like those of a leader shouldering thousands of lives. He looks at Noor "If you truly want a new home, perhaps you could find solace in our small Kingdom", he smiles kindly. "We are in dire need of skilled Knights."
"Me? A Knight?" Noor asks with surprise, he used to kill and fight Knights, being one never even crossed his mind. But the words leaving the teen's mouth don't sound that ridiculous, and he doesn't seem to be joking or mocking him as well.
"You seriously have a problem, Noir!" The boy helping Noor walk says in protest.
The other boy smiles: "There you go, stop calling me your majesty if you're just going to say my name without a problem a few sentences later on".
"You're a really hard boss to deal with", the boy sighs.
"We're here", the one referred to as 'Noir' says. "Once you're patched up, come see me at the Castle, I hope we're able to help each other from here on out", he smiles, extending his hand which Noor takes, shaking it.
"Thank you for your kindness", Noor whispers, a bit thrown off, not used to such… Kind eyes, not a single malice in his words or eyes, how can someone be like that? What does he possibly stand to gain?
"I'll see you at the Castle in a bit, don't start the meeting without me!" The boy holding Noor says, frowning. "You and Cypress are too antsy".
'Noir' laughs. "Sure, just don't take long". He turns to leave but then pauses, turning to look at them again. "Sorry. I seem to have forgotten to introduce myself, I'm the future King of Morke, Lyor Natrix Noir. Welcome to Morke, Noor".
MIYUKI
♫ CRASH&BURN (PART. O'NEILL HUDSON) BY BEA MILLER
Dear diary,
Today is the last day of the tenth month of the year. The air was humid and the winds were so cold I had to borrow one of Irene's jackets. In the morning I spent a few hours drawing magical circles with Irene at the laboratory, when we noticed that we only slept two hours and it was already time to meet the Prince at the teleportation circle.
Irene couldn't stop talking about the procedures we must take in order to do what the Prince requested, she was both excited and nervous. Being around her is comfortable, I hope we can become friends, but I cannot bring myself to ask her if we are anything else but mere work colleagues.
She's close to Scarlet, but the red-haired woman scares me, she's direct and a bit aggressive. She reminds me of the nobles that whipped my back at the Sawdon's Manor. My skin burns everytime she looks at me as if I am nothing more than a bug.
The Prince and Irene are the only ones kind to me. Meeting them changed my life.
One day I might be able to tell them that.
I don't know how to even properly speak to them, but I'm getting better.
The nightmares are more scarce, my body doesn't ache anymore, and I don't feel faint everyday any longer. The Prince asked me if I needed blood to survive and I lied.
I told him I didn't, today, I snuck behind Irene's back to kill a rabbit, its blood wasn't enough for me so I felt lightheaded, it's better than drinking human blood or the synthetic mixture they gave me at the Sawdon's Manor.
Will the Prince kick me out if he found out about my bloodlust?
If he kicks me out…
I would probably die.
No.
I would probably kill myself.
It hurts to write this, my hands are trembling and my eyes are watering.
Not because of the idea that Prince Nikias might kick me out, but due to what happened later today.
When we arrived at the Morke Kingdom it was all so fascinating, I had never used a teleportation circle before, nor have I ever visited the Vapidm Continent. The last time I travelled was when I ran away from the falling Angae Kingdom at what? 16, 17 years old? Back then I was lucky to find a boat filled with refugees leaving for the Exos Empire.
The people I met in Morke were all incredible, halflings walking on the streets proudly, mingling with others with confidence, things I never saw before. And the Knights of the King? They were all unique and impressive.
A one-eyed, one-legged ex-pirate, the fallen Royals of the Angae Kingdom and a buffed half-dragon. It felt like reading a book of tales, their stories were like fantasy most people only dream of once witnessing.
I was happy to see Princess Hayun and Princess Seoah doing well, despite how much they sacrificed to survive, they seemed happy. No one that ran from the Angae Kingdom truly blamed the Royals, they were quite loved, even by the halflings, even if we didn't have the same rights as the regular humans, we were rarely mistreated and enslaving us was a crime. We could work, get married, have kids. It wasn't heaven, but it was enough to have a peaceful life.
The King of Morke was also incredible, he's so tall I had to look up at him. Next to him, the Prince was standing proudly, even if they had quite a few centimeters of difference.
I wish I was that proud.
But my stunned growth due to my mother's alcoholism while pregnant certainly didn't boost my confidence.
Especially considering…
Oh dear, the tears are smudging the ink, but I cannot seem to be able to stop crying.
Dear diary,
I hid one small thing.
I know I promised to never lie in these records of my miserable life.
But I hid something crucial that happened to me today.
As my diary since I was 10, you know quite well that I am gay.
A fact I learned after playing silly games at one of my friend's houses when I was 12, in case you need a refresher.
I dated 2 people before taking refuge in the Exos Empire, and being a prisoner to a mad Duke wasn't necessarily a good place to find love.
And of course becoming the Prince's Knight… It was never my intention to fall in love while working.
Most of all, I never expected to fall at first sight.
Without a single speck of lie: The moment my boring self met that man…
He was what? 180cm tall?
Dark gray eyes like a brimming storm, black hair toned like the calla lilies my grandmother used to send my mom on her birthdays, his skin is toned like falling autumn leaves that crack under your feet as you stroll through a forest, and his skin was covered in the most variety of scars, but he didn't seem to mind them, as if they were all part of his story.
Anwar De Luce.
I found at the Palace's library that his name means 'collection of lights', and it seems to fit him just right, as just looking him in the eyes lit up my hurting heart.
And of course, awoke my bloodlust just as much.
He smelled like fig and rain, and his half-smile almost made me miss his vein while collecting his blood.
When my hands touched his skin I felt as if I was more alive than I ever felt before in my life.
My heart beat so fast as if I ran six marathons without catching a break.
Dear diary, I fell in love at first sight.
But it'll never happen.
Our difference in height isn't the only big thing separating us. It's the fact that he's a prestigious member of the Morke Kingdom's Knights, a formidable and respectable Captain, and with his drop-dead gorgeous appearance is so stunning he probably already has a lover.
Not that I'll try to find out.
Even if he is single.
He would never settle for some shy, beaten-up, half-vampire, short and unimpressive person like me. He probably fits better with one of those gorgeous women that promote fight rings at the square. With their voluptuous bodies and just the perfect height for him to kiss their foreheads as they fall asleep together.
I'm pathetic.
Dear diary, as for today, you're still my only friend and family.
Let's see each other tomorrow again, goodnight.
I'll attempt to not cry myself to sleep again, or I might wake up at the Blessed forest covered in deer blood again.
Thank you for bearing with me,
Miyuki, the virgin, self-loathing, unlovable half-vampire you've known since childhood.
Dear diary,
Today we worked with the blood samples in the artifacts, if this isn't successful I think the Prince might actually punish us.
It'll take a few more months to finish it all since we need to craft every piece by hand and draw every circle as well, but I'm having fun.
The Prince came back from the Kingdom and brought us fruits, I couldn't tell them I can't taste human food properly or they would know I lied to them. Most half-vampires rarely drink blood but my damned weak constitution…
Either way, it was a peaceful day, I enjoyed drawing the magic circles. Irene and I also exchanged a few words about Monsterology.
The only thing I should report is…
I did something sinful.
We only need a drop of blood for the artifact so Irene probably won't notice. But I took a sip of Anwar's blood from the vial.
Is that creepy? Am I going to be punished by the goddess? If he found out would he hate me?
I couldn't resist.
It's just like my mother said.
The blood of the one you love will always taste the best.
There's no flavor like it.
Maybe that's why she killed father.
Wouldn't that mean she wouldn't be able to drink his blood ever again?
Is that why she drank so much? To forget his taste?
Nowadays I bring myself to be more forgiving of my mother's sins.
I am too a sinner after all.
There's no way I can be with him now.
I've done the unforgivable.
Dear diary, do you think one day I'll be able to forget this taste?
Because I do not think I'll.
Thank you for bearing with me.
Miyuki, the virgin, self-loathing, unlovable half-vampire you've known since childhood.