In the middle of the night, the sound of a crying baby could be heard.

***

I trudge along a road I’ve gone through countless times, the familiar hollow feeling in my chest accompanying me as I wearily sigh.

I suddenly feel the chain in my hand become taut and speak out without bothering to turn around.

“Hey, keep walking” I morosely say, “These chains aren’t that long you know.”

I wait reasonably long enough for the chain to become slack but am only met with stubborn silence, I let out another unhappy sigh.

I turn and look at the bedraggled thief whose crime was attempting to rob one of the Lords in this town.

“Shouldn’t you lot know better by now than to commit a crime against a royal vampire?” I chidingly ask him

To which the lowlife’s already resentful face darkens even further as he sneers at me.

“Don’t act so superior” he says through gritted teeth “you don’t understand what it’s like to be born nothing and never even have the chance to change your fate”

His fierce expression conveys his great anger, but I know better.

The almost overwhelming dejection and frustration at his own situation is obvious to me even under the resentment at people who were born more blessed than him, especially the royals.

I almost slightly pity him until he finishes with “But at least I kept my dignity and didn’t stoop to becoming the dog of royals!” after which he stops speaking and looks determined to stay that way the rest of the trip

I breath in through my nose and then exhale the same way while trying to not let what the thief said get to me… But ever so slightly his words struck a chord in me.

It might seem weird to others for I, a highly respected vampire knight to be bothered at all by what a lowly thief says about me, but the truth is I understand him much more than we both would like.

Because I know the despair and hardship that being born a “regular” person can bring.

I know what it’s like better than anyone. For almost 300 years now I’ve struggled through the throes of poverty and oppression of rank.

Why me? Why was I born a member of the rank and file? I don’t know how many times I asked myself these questions and envied the fortunate.

However, instead of turning to crime I raged against the system by tirelessly training.

Our society may be hierarchical, but we value the strong, so I trained and trained until my hands bled and my bones cracked but I kept training.

Then finally just when I started feeling it was all pointless my hard work got recognized, 50 years ago I was chosen to be a vampire knight for the ruling Duchess of this province.

At first, I felt incomparably gratified and enthusiastic, but the feeling didn’t last forever.

50 years of dealing with and apprehending people that are mirror images of my former self and noticing that I’ve spent my whole life just to climb one rung on the social ladder didn’t break me, but it sure came close.

No… What broke me was returning to a cold, empty home every day and slowly coming to the stark realization that I’m completely, utterly alone.

I absentmindedly pull along my prisoner like a dog on a leash while thinking,

Just what was it all for? To apprehend scum like this day in and out only to have no one waiting for me when I return home?

Did I work hard all those years to obtain power just for a life of solitude?

Maybe I should be more like Fino and socialize more, but considering my age… Oh forget it. For now, let’s lock this one up and get something to eat.

Today’s job is going to take a little longer than usual so to make it back on time I’ll have to take a shortcut home through the forest.

Not that anyone will be waiting for me. I thought bitterly.

Exiting the town eastward, I quickly make my way through the forest. As a vampire, I am blessed with enhanced senses in the night so it’s unlikely that I’ll get lost. The dark solemn silence of the woods seemed to mimic my very soul. It was then that something broke that silence.

“Huh? I heard something. Someone out here in the woods?”

This forest area is part of Duchess Babylon’s personal property. No one dares come out here without permission. Better check just to make sure.

“mmaah! Mmaah!”

“A…Baby?”

As I closed in on the sound, I clearly heard the cry of a baby coming from a basket floating along the stream. It was stuck to a branch of a fallen tree, must have floated in from the main river. For now I should check on the baby’s condition. I quickly thought.

“mmaaah! Mmaah!”

“Aghh okay okay, calm down, it’s okay!”

“au?...Mmaaaaaaah! aaaaah!”

“What?! What’s wrong?!”

I don’t have time for this. I thought, but I can’t just leave a defenseless infant out in the wilderness.

“Damn it, what am I going to do with this? Haa. Maybe I should just drop it off at the orphanage…”

At that moment, the memory of my own life at an orphanage came to me. It felt as if I was reliving my whole life.

A life of solitude, struggle, and grief. This child is...all alone. Just like I was. I’m such a hypocrite. I sneered inwardly.

After all these years, here’s my chance to finally do some real good, something of value, and I was about to let this child go down the same path I went down, or worse.

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“mmaah! Mmaah!”

“Shh shh, there there, It’s okay now, I’m here. And I’m going to protect you.”

“mmaah! Mmah…”

“Oh, finally tired out huh? Well, let’s see here…”

The blanket surrounding the bare baby was damp with splashes from the stream. I better replace it quickly before the cold causes an illness. I removed the prided symbol of my status, my knight uniform without a second thought.

“Alright, let’s get you warm...Oh no. A…human? What is a human baby doing all the way out here?! We’re in the middle of Noctus!”

This is nowhere near where any humans live.

“Fuck and it’s a male. What am I going to do? Duchess Babylon would never allow a human male to live on her property.”

I think furiously of a solution but come up empty.

“There’s no use trying to hide him, it’ll only end badly for the baby and myself.”

There’s only one way.

“I have to get her permission.”

I gaze down upon the sleeping baby once more. A mixture of impatience, fear, and hope filled my heart, and then I solemnly prayed with all my being.

“Oh Belmont, please grant me your blessing.”

After I made up my mind, I took the sleeping baby wrapped in my jacket and started my trek to the main residence of Duchess Babylon. Coming up on the main gate, I see a familiar face, my friend Fino and another guard standing at attention.

“Oh! Sir McDowell, what are you doing here at this time of the night?”

“I wish an audience with the esteemed mistress, I have something important I wish to request of her. Would that be possible?” I say while still holding the baby in my arms.

“It’s pretty late, but I can at least announce your arrival. Why don’t you wait in the main hall in the meantime?”

“Thank you, Fino,” I say gratefully.

I entered the mansion as Fino led me in. Once we were inside, Fino left to go upstairs to announce my arrival. As I stood in the main hall that served as the connection point to various parts of the mansion, I felt as if the world weighed on my shoulders.

Previously, I had only personally met with Duchess Babylon on few occasions after I was knighted, as I usually received my missions via a messenger.

Serah Babylon. A ridiculous existence who holds the power close to the realm of legends, an 8th tier mage.

Even among the other Dukes and Duchesses in the Kingdom of Noctus, she was very well known.

An average vampire lives for about 5 centuries but Serah Babylon will be coming up on her 1248th birthday this year, without any sign of her age catching up with her.

She is heralded by the other nobles living in this province as a wise and just ruler, however, she held a notorious hatred for human men. It is rumored that it had something to do with her first love, but whatever the reason, I have to stand my ground for the sake of this child...and myself.

While distracted in my own thoughts I didn’t notice the arrival of the Duchess until she greets me.

“Good evening, Abel.” the Duchess Babylon says.

I look at her while she’s still descending from the stairs above. Her room is located on the upper floor and the highest point of the mansion.

“I am sorry to intrude at such a late hour, Duchess Babylon. However, I come bearing an important request.” I asked as I knelt down on one knee, carefully minding the baby in my arms. 

“Abel, I’ve told you before after I knighted you didn’t I?” she said in a chiding tone. “When we’re alone feel free to call me Serah.”

Although she says that, I am very hesitant to, she radiates absolute power and majesty without even using her magic.

The pressure she gives off just standing close to me makes my bones creak and I fear for all my training she could swat me like a fly. I gulped as I kept my gaze fixated at the ground. 

“I fear that would be improper of me...” I say cautiously.

“Hmm, is that so? Well, at least drop the title, I hate the formality.”

“Yes, Lady Babylon,” I say politely.

Her presence makes me almost forgot why I’m here until she reminds me.

“Well then, I hear you wish to request something of me? Is it perhaps regarding that male human?”

I grimace at the sudden hostility in her voice.

“Urgh, yes, my mistress. I understand that you do not wish for such a presence in your esteemed residence, however, I beg you to pardon this innocent child. I would give anything at all if you could allow me to raise him as my own.” I said as I lift my face in earnest. 

Her expression suddenly hardens and her eyes turn cold.

“Hmph, this is a rather bold request, isn’t it, Sir Abel?”

Compared to before, it felt as if the weight of her presence was nothing.

I can feel Lady Babylon’s displeasure in the air as her mana leaks out from her body and shakes the very air itself. It feels so suffocating I can barely breathe. 

My knees start shaking and I can tell that I’m sweating profusely. Then perhaps because of the disturbance from Lady Babylon’s anger, the baby starts crying again but that doesn’t stop Lady Babylon.

I must make my stand!

“Please! I beg you!”

I kneel deeply and press my forehead on the ground while being mindful of the child.

“I would give anything!” I say with all the sincerity I can muster.

I stay kneeling with the baby still crying the whole time.

It feels like an eternity before I hear the sound of a sigh escaping Lady Babylon’s lips, along with a sudden release of the pressure from my body.

“Haa. Very well, if you are willing to go this far for a human baby then so be it. I will permit the child to live in my territory. However, under a few conditions.” She says sounding resigned and exasperated.

Hearing those words, I couldn’t help but feel a smile excitedly form on my face.

“Thank you! Thank you, mistress! Yes, of course, anything!”

However, her next few words soon rob me of my elation.

“First. I will not permit a ‘male’ In my residence. You will raise him, no, her from now on as your daughter.”

“Lady Babylon?” I say in bewilderment but she continues as if she didn’t hear me speak.

“And second...She will be turned into a Dhampir at the age of 10. I will only permit a human male for that long.” She says with finality in her voice.

After registering through the intense shock of the implications of the first condition I could only despair upon hearing the second.

Dhampirs are a rare variant of our species.

Any member of the races can mate with each other and sometimes half-lings are born but vampires do not appreciate such an existence.

For starters, the chance that a child would be born a half-ling is already pretty rare, usually turning them into ostracized existences.

And most importantly, Dhampirs cannot obtain a blood imprintment from their parent vampire. It is the defining trait of our species to be able to pass down a portion of our power to our offspring and the Dhampirs cannot receive that sacred right.

An artificial Dhampir is much more frowned upon. Not only does the ritual to create one require a sacrifice of a living vampire, the created Dhampir would be cursed to require blood from their non-vampire half every week in order to survive.

If they do not receive at least a small dose, they will suffer raging pain until eventually given the release of death.

Normal vampires do not require blood at all, contrary to human beliefs, normal food will do.

Blood is more of a delicacy of the nobles. Sucking blood is a sacred act that requires trust from both parties involved.

There are those that defy this tradition and prey upon the other races but they are all hunted down personally by noble vampires.

I grimaced under the proposition given to me by my mistress, as I know what this would entail for the child, and myself.

“Do you have any objections, Sir Abel?”

“...No, my mistress. I volunteer myself as the sacrifice for the ritual. But I beg you, allow me to secure the child enough blood so he, no she can survive long enough to lead a happy life.”

I resigned to my fate. However, I feel a strong emotion bursting out from within me, something deeper than all the hatred that fueled my training, something stronger than the pride I felt when I was knighted. It was the resolve to protect someone important to me.

The Duchess looks deeply into my eyes then nods with a satisfied look on her face.

“...Mm. Good eyes, you are indeed a good man, Sir Abel. Very well, you pass.”

“...H-huh?” I ask in shock.

“Worry not, Sir Abel, I was simply testing your resolve for this child. If you are willing to go that far, I trust that you will be able to raise her properly as a proud citizen of my territory.”

After hearing that I feel hope and start to say,

“T-then, the ritual-”

But she already knows what I’m going to ask and mercilessly interrupts me.

“Of course, I will still be going through with the ritual when she turns 10. You should know that I hate human males. However, with my magic, there won’t be a need for a sacrifice, some of your blood will suffice. Also, although I cannot resolve the curse of the Dhampir, I can minimize the effects by making it so she only needs blood once a month.”

I finally let out a sigh of relief upon hearing the Duchess’s words.

“Thank you, my mistress. I promise that I will work harder than ever before to meet your expectations.”

“Haa. Don’t be so dramatic, what you’re doing now is enough. Continue to serve me and maintain the peace of my land, Sir Abel.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Alright then, maids! Provide Sir Abel with some apparel for his new ‘daughter.’ Also, Mary, you’ll be in charge of helping him teach that child, I trust that you won’t let me down?”

A middle-aged maid stepped forward and bowed, this was one of the senior maids under service to Duchess Babylon, Mary Stockwald.

“I understand, my mistress. Please be assured that I will educate the young miss into a proper member that won’t disgrace the Babylon name. Sir Abel, I look forward to working with you.”

“T-thank you. You too.” I say slightly numb from all that happened.

“Okay everyone, I’ve given you your orders. I will be retreating back to my room now. Abel, if you any more questions, Mary will answer them for you. Alright, good night everyone.” She says while walking back up the stairs without looking back.

Almost everyone knows that Duchess Babylon usually spends her time studying magic, trying to break into the 9th tier of mages.

Her managerial duties were usually left to her head maid and the five senior maids that work under the head maid. She only ever comes out to meet in person people she trusts.

(I am truly glad that I am able to work for such a noble master.)

After collecting a couple of items such as clothing and a baby bottle, I made my way back home with the senior maid Mary.

My home that was given to me when I got knighted was just a few minutes away from the main Babylon residence. I thought to myself as I walked,

(To think, even though I’ll be 300 years old soon that I could still be frightened like a child as I was today...though I guess in front of Lady Babylon, most people seem like children.)

As I approached the gates of my humble abode, I once again looked upon the sleeping baby in my arms.

“Welcome home.”