Chapter 28: Meeting the count

Day 30th, 1st month of the Vermilion Calendar. Year 2011

The Return of the Count.

Leon and Snow stood outside the town. They faced a huge amount of carriages and knights, all armed to the teeth.

These men were on their way to war, the cleanup of a five-year-long battle against the demonic monsters.

Roger was one of them.

"You lot should go welcome the Count, he is arriving today. You should not be here," Roger said while cleaning his sword with a rag. He sat on a rock.

"It’s not our fault that he chose to come back on the very day that you are leaving," Leon spoke calmly, not bothered about leaving to see his father, who had just returned.

"Come on, kid, that’s your father. You have not seen him in four years," Roger argued.

"I’ll see him some other time, but I might not get to see you again," Leon said.

"Brat, are you trying to tell me that I’ll die?" Roger asked with a raised brow.

"That’s young master to you," Leon said with a smile. "And no, I know there is no way you die. You are the strongest swordsman that I know," Leon said.

"Will you come back soon?" Snow asked.

"I don’t know. But in the meantime, while I am away, you two hold down the fort. Keep adventuring, but make sure you do it safely," Roger said.

"Tch, treating us like kids," Leon said.

"You are kids, even if you are the best set of kids I have ever gotten to meet. The two of you are one of a kind and are great together.

You have a friendship that no one could ever break. It’s weird considering you two met not long ago." He said and then stretched his hands, patting the two of them on their heads.

"Either way. Make sure you keep being the badass kids that I looked after for a bit."

As he spoke, footsteps approached. They all turned and saw one of the knights coming. He had his helmet under his arm and looked to be in his Middle Ages.

"Captain," Roger greeted immediately.

"Seems the two of you are really fond of you," the captain spoke. He looked at Leon and Snow.

"You don’t have to worry about him. Roger is one of the strongest knights here. I’m only captain because he refuses to take the role."

"You know that’s not true," Roger said.

"Haha, it is, but you’ll refuse it to death. Cheeky brat," the captain said with a smile. "Either way, we are moving in a minute. Get ready and say your goodbyes."

Roger nodded, and the captain walked away.

"You heard the man, it’s time for me to go," Roger said and got on his feet. He gave them a smile and turned to get on his horse.

Leon and Snow watched him ride into formation in the front along with the captain, and when they were all set, they moved out. They watched them go until they vanished from sight."

[...]

By the time Leon arrived home, he was not even allowed a few minutes of rest before he received word that his father wanted to speak to him. So he headed to his father’s office.

He knocked twice on the door and waited for a response, but when one did not come, he pushed open the door and walked in.

The first thing that hit him was the heavy smell of smoke, thick and suffocating, carrying what would be this world’s equivalent of weed.

His office was spacious and normally had a wide-opened window, but his father closed it and was sitting at the desk, a pipe in hand as he read reports on everything that had been happening around here so far. He raised his head from the papers the moment Leon walked in.

"You did not come to greet me when I arrived. Why was that?" His father asked, plain and simple.

"I’m sorry, sir. Roger was leaving with the host of men that are joining the final phase of the war, and so I went to say goodbye to him. He has been my teacher for a while now and my guard."

"Ahh, I see. You, my son, went to say goodbye to a guard and overlooked the fact that your own father was returning from war." His father said while looking Leon right in the eye.

Leon swallowed hard as he felt the pressure of his father pressing down, but he refused to buckle under it.

"I’m sorry, father. I did not think it would be an issue considering the fact that I would come see you the moment I got back," Leon explained calmly.

"Do not lie to me, child. You were able to read at the age of one and comprehend great things before many children could walk. You are capable of advanced thought and even more. You must have known that an act like this was sure to make things sour.

So what was it, an act of defiance? Rebellion? Wanting to show that you no longer need me?"

Leon swallowed again. His father’s pressure was rising rapidly.

"No, sir. I did not do it for any of those reasons."

Leon stood by what he said.

"Fine. Standing by your words is a sign of strength.

That being said, I heard you harboured a vampire." His gaze turned sharper as he said that line.