The next morning, he was glad to see some colour had returned to Envy’s face. Struggling quite a bit, he managed to form a party by gripping her hand in a handshake while repeating the word “Party” to grasp her attention.

An endless hunger filtered through their connection.

Name Envy (Slave) Hometown Mistburgh Race Vampire [Strength+] Age 24 1st Job [Warrior] lvl 28 2nd Job [Murderer] lvl 16

Exill frowned, ‘Who in their right mind would take Murderer as their second job, and raise it to level 16? Is it possible to regret my decision even more?’

In the end, he concluded it was likely that Envy had never been in her right mind. 10% of his vitality had been recovered during the night and he fed her again, carefully observing the steady rise in her own vitality. It was a 1:1 exchange rate. Her full health should be recovered in a week assuming he feed her 10% a day and there was minimal decay.

On the second day, she was at 50% vitality and had recovered to the point she could answer in monosyllables.

“How are you feeling today?”

“…mn.”

“Do you need to go to the toilet?”

“…mn”

“Would you like to eat?”

“…yes.”

One of his chief concerns was that she would wet the bed. He didn’t know how much fluid she had taken in but… did vampires even go to the toilet?

He knew nothing about them or how to take care of one, just the fact that they fed on the ‘blood of the untainted’. What also stood out was her recovery speed, it was remarkable. Her ribs no longer stuck to her side, and the pallor of her skin had improved.

On the third day, much to his embarrassment, his spare pyjamas wouldn’t slide up past her thighs. ‘I should shop clothes for her once she’s fully recuperated’ he thought, adding another expense to his growing list.

Talking of shopping lists, he had ventured out to Central Market that morning to purchase ingredients for a recovery tonic commonly prescribed to mercenaries who had suffered extreme blood loss. Judging from the ingredients calling for finely powdered iron oxide, or simply ‘rust’, as it was referenced in the recipe, he had high hopes that it would help stave off the eventual anaemia.

By the fifth day, she was able to hold conversations with him, though it was mostly a one-sided affair.

“I’m going to the Labyrinth, and I’ll be back in a few hours” He informed her that morning, determined to shore up his deteriorating finances. However, he returned a mere quarter of an hour later, feeling woozy and nauseous from the effects of feeding the Vampire every day. Envy sat there unmoving with an indecipherable expression, as he shrugged off his equipment and crawled back to bed.

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After a full week had passed, her vitality finally hit 100%. Her hair had regained some of its lustre, her cheeks no longer sallow and sunken. A sparkle of intelligence hid behind her reserved amber eyes. The tunic that had been draped over her hunched shoulders now sat tight against her body, filled by her voluptuous chest.

“We need to get you clothes…” he said, turning away to fetch his cloak. Her growth spurt had become evident on the third day and the purchase had been put off until she had fully recovered. Without a stable source of income and a large debt hanging over his head, every Denar had to be saved.

Exill tied a belt around her tunic and covered her shoulders with a long cloak. At first glance, she looked presentable, which meant piss all considering his sense of fashion was non-existent.

“We should get you a comb as well.” He tried to brush her scarlet hair with his fingers, but encountered a tangle at every inch. Envy glared at him with narrowed eyes until he stopped yanking at her hair.

Looking away from her intimidating stare, he led her outside, through the claustrophobic alleyways until they joined the main road leading to the South Gate.

“Hold this,” he passed her a green token. Unlike the red citizen’s token in his possession, it marked her as a slave of an Ark resident, granting free passage through the gates.

Soon, they approached the fabric market in the Outer City where a significant number of stalls catered to selling used clothes. This was one of the places he had discovered on his way back to the refugee camp after the day’s work at Ham’s smithy.

“Here is 80 Denars, find clothes that fit and meet me at the fountain at midday. I have business to take care of.”

He left, glancing back before she was lost in the crowds. The last glimpse of Envy was of her staring dumbly at the bundle of coins in her palm. Releasing a pent-up breath, he headed to the clinic run by Perg, the healer he had met at Diallo’s warehouse.

Sometime later, he was ushered into an elaborately furnished sitting room. The portly Healer was sitting in the corner, a teacup expertly balanced on top of his crossed knee. A jaunty smile crossed his lips as he recognised Exill from the week before.

“A pleasure to see you, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Pleasures all mine, but I’m here for business,” the Witchdoctor began, causing Perg to lean forward in his seat with interest, “We’ve worked together several times, and you know what I am capable of. Instead of sending clients to the butchers down the road, I want you to refer them to me, in exchange for a 30% referral fee.

“My, my… so it is true! You’ve split your ways from that nasty hag. You know they set a search out for you, famed healer of Ark suddenly disappearing for a week – big news.”

‘Huh, someone would place a bounty on me? I should check the Guild later.’ Exill thought as he vaguely listened to Perg listing recent events in high society.

“… as for your proposal, consider it done. I regard us as friends after all. Please leave your forwarding address with my assistant.”

Exill shook his hands, and just as he was about to leave, he turned, asking a question that had been plaguing his mind the past week, “Perg. What do you know about vampires?”

“Are you talking about that beauty at Diallo’s? I heard she’s sold. Nasty business that. I was interested in her as well… until I read the background check. Did you know she killed her former master? Heaven forbid I made such a purchase!”

Exill inwardly swore for the 20th time that week.

“… but anyway, yes, they are quite fickle. Can only be fed on the blood of virgins, which is a rarity nowadays am I right? What, with the state of society as it is, heaven forbid. The difficulty lies in the fact that the stronger the vampire is, the stronger their donor needs to be – and I hear she is a mighty strong one! Imagine trying to source a veteran warrior who is also a virgin, like picking stars from the sky!”

Exill inwardly swore for the 21st time that week. He had been thoroughly swindled by Diallo, no one in their right mind would have purchased Envy, little wonder she was in such a state.

“Thank you so much Perg, I hope to see you again soon.” He let out a large sigh on entering the street and wandered towards the market fountain, ‘Let’s hope she won’t be the death of me.’