To His Hell and Back-Chapter 111: Noticeable Change

To say that it smells rotten was an understatement. The liquid though covered in the tight glass flask still smelled a lot of human’s blood, so much so that it reeked even without being opened. To make matters worse the blood came from distressed and possibly humans who were killed in such an agonizing method that caused for their blood to smell rotten after their death. When Cassius had put the flask before his eyes and gave it a light shake, he noticed how the liquid was gleaming, meaning that it wasn’t only human sacrifices that had been used to make such potion but something else, something that smelled like the ocean.

"Remnant potion," Cassius named it as he placed the flask into his chest pocket, giving it a light tap, "What do you think was used to create something that could turn even a pure blood vampire into an undead monster without will?"

Renard furrowed his eyebrows, his expression turning stern as he look at the flask once again.

What could it be? The ones who made this potion must be powerful, no doubt about that. But is this all they can do? Just brew up some strange miracle in a bottle? Or is there something more... something far bigger hiding beneath the surface?

"Spells," Cassius said as Renard was about to make a faint guess. Leaning down his bed, Cassius hummed as he recalled his past. His mother who wanted him to be a flawless crown prince had always prepared him with books that came from all around the world. So much so that he had read almost every book from the smallest kingdom to the largest. He knew their history deep in his head and could recall it by heart easily. In that book he read quite a few things regarding humans who could use power that didn’t seem human.

They could wield magic, their words shaping reality itself. Though their bodies were as fragile as any human’s, their power lay in the spells they whispered, words that could twist the world to their will. Some called them sorcerers, others witches or enchanters. Their names varied, their origins shrouded in mystery, yet for reasons unknown, history whispers that they once dwelled in Versailles.

Cassius had confirmed this during his last visit to that eerie, almost sentient forest. There, he had confirmed the existence of a sorcerer who had once called it home, a man so powerful that even in death, he refused to fade. Instead, his consciousness had fused with the living woods, whispering through the rustling leaves and watching through the gnarled branches, lingering long after his body had turned to dust.

He wondered to himself if that sorcerer in the forest was the only one of its kind and doubt it. While many creatures could fade from existence as centuries grew, sorcerers who looked no different from humans should have had an easier time surviving and adapting to the changing time. Added by this appearance of "remnant potion" he suspect that there were more sorcerers lurking in the background, the creatures who clearly despise vampire enough to forge such potion that could allow them to control vampires like a mindless hungry little pet.

His cold rational mind quickly remembered the little bits of words from the skinwalker and the sorcerer he had killed back in the Gordes Town. One of the woman had spoken about a King- their King- he could suspect from this that there were more sorcerers than what meet the eyes, most of them hiding behind the scene and even having a royal hierarchy.

Was this what the human King was truly afraid of?

When he had killed that human, he had sneered at him, cursing and yelling to him, saying that Versailles would never fall to his hands, ever.

He had thought it was the cry of a dying man but maybe this was what the human King was hiding.

"Then should we look at whether there are more of their kinds?"

"You should," ordered Cassius as he thoughtfully pondered, "I also need you to keep an eye on Minister Juan’s son. Don’t kill him, don’t attack him, but follow him. Check for yourself whether that human man had been in contact with these sorcerers. We don’t have much lead but this so don’t make any mistake Renard."

"As you wish, Your Highness," Renard bowed low then he looked at the couch where there was the girl sleeping soundly. He could tell that Cassius had attacked the humans sent to kill him swiftly, precisely because he didn’t want to wake up the human girl and when he turned to his master, he was stunned upon seeing that there was trace of warmth on his eyes as he looked to the sleeping Arabella.

"What?" Cassius turned to him, "You’re not going to work? Is this some kind of a protest Renard?"

"No! I wouldn’t dare-" Renard then rushed outside and as he was about to close the door, he saw Cassius who had picked Arabella from the couch, moving her slowly to his bed. Seeing this, Renard felt butterflies inside his stomach. Not only because his handsome crown prince was even glowing with that soft gaze on his crimson eyes but also the way how he had tenderly picked Arabella from the couch.

There was a faint chuckle on his lips as he watched how Arabella had turned and curled around his arms like a cat. His expression wasn’t only tender but patient, clearly saying that he does care for the human girl.

He had accepted his care.

Renard had served him long enough to know this. His Crown Prince still doesn’t put trust on him or Karnala but there was a clear bond of trust between him and Arabella.

Somewhere, Renard felt jealous of that bond but he was also happy. Happy because his master truly look happy and as his most loyal retainer, he wanted to make sure that this happiness stays for a little longer.

With that thought, the blue haired vampire closed the door, his smile that was warm on his lips then turned cold as he saw Karnala at the end of the hallway, passing the order with a monotone tune, "We have been given an urgent task."