The Taste of Survival

Although the beastmen's hands were shaking and her voice was uncertain, their gaze was clear and crisp. They kept pointing guns at Luke and shouting at him.

— Who are you?!

— Are you one of those bastards?!

— Don't move!

Their screams filled Luke's ears and disoriented him a bit. However, he was still able to calm his mind and start analyzing the situation.

The fact that he wasn't shot in the first second meant that he still had a chance to live. Even though these women threatened him, they didn't want to kill him. It was easy to tell by their shaking hands. However, do not underestimate them. They didn't want to kill him, but they could easily decide to do so.

Luke decided that the situation was clearly not in his favor and he should once again not make any sudden movements.

He calmed his heart once more and began to slowly unravel the tangle of this difficult situation.

"My name is Carnell Halloween."

Luke tried to make his voice as confident and clear as possible so that the women would definitely listen to him.

"I'm a student at the Skyris Magic Academy and I'm seventeen years old. There are documents in my coat. You can take a look and make sure I'm not lying. I also have a pistol in my bosom, you can take it. I don't want to hurt you.

'Maybe giving them your only weapon is very reckless. However, I don't want them to accidentally spot him and shoot me because of it.'

The beastkin, who was closest to the Hatch and who had a bushy brown tail, nervously exchanged glances with the others and after a few approving nods, she slowly approached the Hatch. Her two friends also came a little closer and took better aim. Apparently they wanted to make sure that the guy wouldn't do anything weird in response.

The woman searched the guy and took out documents with a gun. She quickly examined the documents and nodded to the others, indicating that he wasn't lying.

After that, she walked away from him and pointed the gun again.

Luke noticed that the gaze of these beastmen had become more calm. He was glad of that, because the calmer they were, the more likely they were not to shoot him because of any movement he made.

— Where are you from and why did you climb over the walls?I asked the beastman with the bushy tail.

Continuing the conversation was a good sign. Luke could feel the situation stabilizing. He had already thought of the answer to this question and decided to voice it.

"They must have suffered from the church of true life. I might add that I've become their victim too," Luke thought. Although he didn't know what happened to Carnell Halloween before the Trapdoor entered his body, it was possible to connect the strange situation in the carriage with this church.

"I was traveling with my teacher, but our carriage was attacked by members of the Church of true Life. I miraculously managed to escape, but my teacher died.

All the women stared at him. Their eyes were blank, and their hands gripped their guns even tighter. Their faces twisted in disgust and horror.

One of the women screamed.

"He's one of those creatures!

" Her voice brought more screams and threats. The situation has dramatically become even worse.

Luke was at a loss. Everything seemed to be getting better, but at the last moment they lost their temper. What happened?

The women were shouting at him, and their hands with guns began to rise.

Luke's heart skipped a beat and sweat ran down his back.

A voice sounded in his head.

[Luke! Listen to me!]

Eri spoke very quickly and clearly.

[You should say, "I sacrifice." Quickly say it!]

Luke saw that the guns were already pointed in his direction, and his fingers were pulling the triggers.

He just couldn't react to Eri's instructions at this rate.

The sound of a gunshot cut through the cacophony of screams and threats. The bullet flew out of the gun, leaving a bluish trail behind it. She was followed by several more similar bullets from other guns.

Luke's eyes shrank to the size of pins and his body jerked back. However, the bullets were faster than Luke's instincts.

At that moment, Cecilia jumped over the wall and, pushing off from the inside of the wall, landed in front of the guy.

Scarlet blood flowed out of the white-haired girl's hands in a split second and formed a semicircular shape.

The bullets smashed into the shield of blood. Its surface vibrated, but withstood the attack.

There was no second salvo, and the women froze in place.

Cecilia appeared in a split second and was able to save them both!

After waiting a couple of seconds for them to stop being shot at, Cecilia removed the shield.

The blood lost its shape and poured back into the girl's hands.

Luke was stunned and was still sitting on the ground.

Cecilia stood tall in front of the armed group. The girl was quite tall and her snow-white hair was blowing in the wind. The bloody eyes looked at the weapons without unnecessary emotions, and then into the eyes of the frightened women. Cecilia's stance was confident and calm.

The terror in the beastkin's eyes was replaced by recognition. They lowered their guns a little and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You survived, Mistress Cecilia!— Said one of the women.

Luke's pupils twitched. His panic turned to incomprehension. The cold sweat began to ease a little and he decided to just watch for now.

—Mistress, be careful with him! He's one of the infected!The woman who was closest to Luke and Cecilia shouted. She pointed the gun at the guy and looked at him threateningly.

Cecilia stood in front of the Hatch.

The dark blue raincoat on the girl blocked the guy's view. He didn't like it and decided to get up slowly to personally monitor the development of events.

— Why are you defending him, mistress?!

The women with guns behaved more calmly than before. However, there was still fear in their eyes. Only now, he was also joined by bewilderment.

"He's not infected.Cecilia replied shortly."Bring us to Damian."

"Are you sure?

"

Confusion swept across the faces of the armed ladies, but they did not argue with Cecilia for a long time.

—Good… As you command, mistress.The speaker's voice was tired and quiet.— However, he will still be under the gun.

Cecilia nodded curtly.

— Great. Mr. Damian is currently at his estate. We'll take you there.

Cecilia looked at Luke. Her eyes were as emotionless as ever.

The white-haired girl went, and Luke followed her. The beastmen followed with weapons.

They walked through the streets of the city. They were deserted and abandoned. Many windows and doors were boarded up. It seemed that the whole city was suffocating in smoke and was on the verge of death.

Sunlight sometimes penetrated through the black smoke, and illuminated the streets.

The company continued walking for about ten more minutes, until they found themselves near a large manor.

The estate was designed in the classical style of the nineteenth century.

Large white columns held up the roof, and the blue walls gave a light and free look.

"Wait!"

A woman's voice came from somewhere, but Luke couldn't figure out where exactly.

The company stopped and waited for a few seconds.

Several more beastmen came out of the manor with guns. They were already dressed in maid costumes.

Weapons and maids were a very interesting combination. If you add in the fact that they were all beastmen, then you could die happy.

"There are only women in this town.'Luke pointed out.

Really. At the moment, all the inhabitants of this place were only female beastmen. Not a single man.

[Most likely, all the men were killed by church members.]

Eri's voice was cold.

Luke frowned a little at this news, but at that moment, the maids started chatting with Cecilia.

— We are glad to see you in good health, Madam.

The voice of the wolf-eared beastman with pointed tips was respectful and calm. Her gray eyes appraised Luke.

She was the only one who wasn't holding a gun, which made her stand out from the rest.

— Please follow me, Mr. Damian is waiting for you in his office.

After these words, the wolf-eared beastman entered the manor, and Luke and Cecilia followed her.

They were walking down a long and wide corridor. Many paintings decorated the walls, and the painted ceilings also added their own zest.

It took several minutes before they reached a wide door made of dark wood.

"There are very long corridors here.Luke complained in his head, and Eri snorted in agreement.

A maid with pointed ears like a wolf knocked on the door three times with a finger bone, and then twice with the back of her hand.

A man's voice came from the room. He was tired, but pleasant to the ear.

"Come in…

The maid with the wolf ears carefully opened the large door and Luke saw the room.

A few candles lit up the room, which made it feel a little gloomy. A dark green carpet with the image of a phoenix held by the hands of several devils climbing out of a cloud lay on the floor. A large bookcase with many books occupied the entire left wall of the study. Several books had fallen from their shelves and were lying alone on the floor.

'So... his name is Damian.'

A wide mahogany table stood at the end of the room, and a young man was sitting behind it.

He looked the same age as Luke, but there were significant differences between them.

Damian had blonde hair that reached his shoulders. Gray eyes, like wolf fur, looked tiredly at Cecilia and Luke.

He had a handsome face with sharp features, as well as a toned body. Even though he was sitting at the table, it was clear that he was quite tall. Exactly above the Hatch.

Damian was wearing a loose white silk shirt. His sleeves were tucked in, and he wore an expensive-looking watch on his left arm.

The first thing that came to Luke's mind was:

"An aristocrat!"

[It's not just an aristocrat here...] — Eri began to speak excitedly.—[He's a typical aristocrat with a crappy personality from stories that target teenage girls! I wouldn't be surprised if the main character of the novel is walking around somewhere, suffering from his tyranny, but then they fall in love with each other!]

Eri continued to excitedly list the cliches of such stories about princesses, but Luke ignored her words.

When Damian saw the white-haired girl, he perked up a little and moved closer to the table.

— So you survived, nameless one!

Damian's voice was filled with surprise, and his eyes were wide open.

— You can't imagine how hard it was for me after you disappeared. The fact that you're alive makes everything much easier!

Damian's voice was agitated. There was a glint and joy in his eyes.

At that moment, he saw Luke. Damian's gaze immediately became a little dimmer and more distant.

"I see you have a new friend." Would you like to introduce us, nameless one?

After saying that, Damian seemed to remember something and looked questioningly at the white-haired girl.

— I remembered that we haven't met properly yet. It's very rude of me to keep calling you by that nickname.

The white-haired beauty nodded in agreement and looked at Luke.

— His name is…

Cecilia stopped and thought deeply.

— Carnell Halloween.Luke finished for her.

Damian smiled faintly and got up from his chair. He approached his guests and extended his hand to the black-haired guy. Luke shook it back.

— Nice to meet you, Carnell Halloween. You have a very interesting name.

Damian's eyes were cold and bored as he spoke to Luke. It seemed that in the eyes of the young aristocrat, the black-haired guy was nothing more than a pile of trash.

After that, Damian looked at the girl, waiting for her introduction. His eyes took on a clearer shine and interest.

'He's much more pleased with Cecilia than he is with me. Although, it's obvious, because apparently they already knew each other."

In Luke's head, the image of Damian as a proud aristocrat has already formed.

Damian wasn't shy about showing his disdain for Luke, but he still kept up appearances. This showed that Damian was a very proud and self-confident person, but he was still smart and rational. After all, in the current situation, any person was needed by an aristocrat in this difficult moment. Which was Luke. However, there was a question. Does Luke want to help Damian?

Definitely not.

It wasn't that the aristocrat didn't put the guy in anything. Luke didn't really care about that for the most part. The main question was, what benefits him?

If the benefits of helping out exceed the losses, then Luke will most likely agree to help the blond guy. However, if it's the other way around, then Luke won't even bat an eyebrow, leaving the aristocrat in trouble.

These thoughts flashed through Luke's mind in a split second, and meanwhile, Damian was still waiting for Cecilia's answer.

— My name is…

The girl hesitated again and thought about it.

Eri giggled a little in Luke's head, and the guy winced a little in his heart.

"Did you forget your name?'

—Cecilia.Luke finished.

The white-haired girl nodded approvingly, confirming Luke's words.

Damian looked at the couple strangely, but didn't say anything about it.

The blond guy walked away from them and leaned on the table.

Dim and warm light came from several candles, dancing on Damian's blond hair.

— Let's get right to the point.

Damian's tone was serious, and deep emotion shone in his gray eyes.

"I need your help." My father was captured by members of the Church of true Life and they threaten to execute him if I don't surrender. However, if I surrender, then the entire surviving part of the city will also be doomed.

Understanding flashed through Luke's mind.

He noticed it on the hill.

Most of the city was on fire and huge clouds of smoke were billowing from it. However, there was a smaller part of the city that was intact. Exactly the part they were in now.

'It turns out that they were able to close in this part of the city and thus escaped from the church of true life.'

—However, if they have already captured most of the city, then why not finish the job?Luke continued his thoughts.

Damian looked at the black-haired guy and shook his head.

"I do not know that. However, since they've given us time, we need to use it well. That's why I need as many people as possible.

Damian's gaze fell on Cecilia.

"Cecilia, I already know about your fighting skills. You have the blood manipulation ability and are good at it. You will be the most important element in my plan. Of course, if you agree. I can't force any of you.

Cecilia shook her head. Her white hair swayed smoothly from side to side. And the red eyes reflected the candlelight.

"I'll help you."— Said the girl.

A slight smile graced Damian's face. He breathed a sigh of relief and straightened his hair.

— Great news... I won't forget your help.

Damian's words were filled with sincere gratitude and relief.

After that, he turned to Luke and asked,

"I'm asking for your help anyway, but I'd also like to know what you can do." I hope that didn't sound rude. Simply…

Damian's voice was filled with indescribable sadness. His voice was trembling, and his eyes stared at the floor, filling with tears.

- I'm sorry… My father is in a dangerous situation and I can't control my emotions.

Damian's body trembled a little and he covered his face with his hand, wiping away a few tears.

Luke watched it in silence. His gaze was cold and emotionless. He was clear and a sparkle sparkled in his eyes.

The young aristocrat was very good at showing his sadness and will, melting the hearts of anyone. However, Luke wasn't buying it.

He had read stories many times about reborn people who went to other worlds and performed various feats. Their lives were fascinating and incredibly diverse. Who wouldn't want such a life?

Luke wanted to, and so when he got such an incredible chance, he didn't want to miss it.

Yes, the beginning of his rebirth in another world was different from what he imagined. However, he had managed to survive, and now the feeling of an opener burned in his heart.

The guy wanted to plunge into this fabulous world with his head and write his own epic story.

If everyone manipulates him and uses him for their own purposes, then how will he be able to fulfill his own desire?

That was why Luke was in no hurry to help Damian, unlike Cecilia.

He could have safely not entered the city before that. But he couldn't stay in the forest, because it was very dangerous there.

Now that there was a real person in front of him who was in trouble, what should he do?

Of course, make the most of it.

Luke understood that this was a very dangerous situation, and the church of true life was clearly not an ordinary group. However, he wanted to become the hero of a novel who crushes his enemies with just an aura. Why not kill two birds with one stone?

He can start his heroic story from this moment and use Damian to get into a major city.

'Carnell is a Halloween student at Skyris Academy. It is most likely an academy of magic. After all, Carnell's textbooks point to this. The magic Academy would definitely be a good start. The

thoughts in Luke's head were as fast as lightning and he had already decided what to do next.

"I understand your feelings perfectly.Luke said.— Of course I will help you, because I was able to sign a contract with a strong astral. So my help definitely won't be superfluous!

Luke's voice was enthusiastic and full of hope. He looked straight into Damian's eyes and they were filled with sincerity and longing.

Damian stopped crying and straightened up. His eyes were a little reddened, but they were still sharp and cold.

He smiled broadly and turned to Luke.

— Thank you very much. This is really important to me right now. With your ability, we can…

Luke raised his hand and interrupted the aristocrat.

A slight smile brightened the black-haired guy's face.

— I really want to help you, but you understand me too. You are not the only one in a difficult situation.

Understanding flashed in Damian's eyes and he folded his arms across his chest.

His golden hair almost reached his shoulders and reflected the candlelight beautifully.

"I understand... of course I will reward you handsomely for your help. Ask for anything!

The smile on Luke's face widened a little, and his eyes narrowed a little.

The shadows seemed to deepen a little, and the candlelight flickered.

Damian looked at Luke carefully and assessed him.

What could this man wish for?

— I wish…