Building An Army

Zell slept in the inn for the night and then went back home where Elisabeth stood outside to greet him.

She jumped on him and showed her neck, she was looking at his face with anticipation "Please..." she had longed for the feeling of getting her blood sucked for too long.

He smiled while slowly moving his head toward her neck sinking his fangs into it.

Elisabeth gasped loudly when Zell bit into her flesh. For a split second, the pain caused her to freeze up. Then, it vanished entirely. Instead, a strange euphoric sensation overcame her entire being. Her thoughts grew hazy and distant until all sense of reality disappeared completely. She didn't even realize that she had fallen unconscious.

Zell looked at her in his arms, she had grown too addicted. But he couldn't deny that he liked it either. Perhaps it wasn't wise to feed off her so much but he felt compelled to do it anyway.

When she awoke, she was lying on top of Zell's bed. As usual, he was fast asleep beside her.

Without thinking, she kissed his cheek gently. When he stirred, she pulled away and continued observing him intently.

His chest rose and fell steadily under the blankets. No visible wounds remained on his pale torso. From time to time, he snored lightly.

Although he was sleeping soundly, Zell was still very aware of her presence. He sensed her warmth and closeness, it felt pleasant and comforting.

In truth, he preferred to sleep naked because it allowed him to better appreciate the natural beauty surrounding him. Unfortunately, the weather was cold. Consequently, he chose instead to wear a simple shirt and trousers underneath. Not that such garments offered any protection against frostbite. Nevertheless, they helped keep his limbs warm.

Despite how comfortable she felt wrapped inside his sheets, Elisabeth was reluctant to leave his side. Yet, she had responsibilities to attend to. She needed to resume work. If possible, she wanted to finish a full shift first thing in the morning. That way, she could avoid the possibility of running late. Of course, if it came down to it, she would simply return later.

With that thought in mind, Elisabeth climbed out of bed and headed downstairs.

On her way there, she passed several doors along the hallway. Each one contained an occupied bedroom. Some rooms were empty while others held women resting peacefully in their beds. Their faces were peaceful and serene. They appeared to be deep in slumber. Although none of them were awake, they were certainly capable of waking up should they choose to do so.

They belonged to ordinary citizens living in the same city as Zell. Ordinary folk whose lives were far removed from hers. At least, they used to be normal until a month ago when they encountered Zell and became his loyal servants. Now, they followed him wherever he went.

Once again, Elisabeth wondered how many more people would join them in the coming weeks and months. And once they did, how would life change for them? Would things remain the same or would everything transform drastically? Only time would answer those questions.

One thing was clear though: Zell intended on conquering this land someday soon. With the aid of his loyal subjects, he planned on taking control of a local kingdom. It would allow him to expand his influence over lands beyond his current reach. Eventually, he envisioned himself ruling over a vast empire stretching from sea to shining sea.

Such ambitions were difficult to imagine considering the size of this continent. Nonetheless, he was determined to achieve his goals. Even if it meant killing hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children in the process.

Elisabeth stopped briefly to stare at a particular door. Inside rested a single girl named Janae. The girl possessed extraordinary talent and intelligence. Because of these qualities, she was destined for greatness.

The problem was that she refused to accept that destiny. Rather, she wished to live an ordinary existence. She desired little more than to marry and raise a family. She didn't want to risk dying in battle nor did she desire fame and fortune. All she cared about was finding happiness with someone whom she loved deeply, even if she wanted it or not Zell had become the one she loved deeply. So naturally, she feared losing him forever.

However, she knew that her fears were unfounded. Zell had sworn never to abandon her. Nor would he ever turn against her. She believed in him wholeheartedly.

Nevertheless, she found herself unable to shake off her worries. Sometimes she even dreamed of him leaving her behind. Those dreams frightened her because they hinted that she might lose him after all.

Nowadays, however, she rarely experienced nightmares anymore. On occasion, she still woke up screaming but it usually lasted for just a moment.

She too had fallen for his unstoppable charm.

Since she was a child, Janae had always known that she was different from everyone else. Unlike most girls, she hated dresses and frills. Furthermore, she detested dolls and toys. While other young ladies played house or school, she preferred reading books and solving puzzles.

At times, her parents worried that she would grow up lonely and isolated. However, Janae insisted that she enjoyed playing with the other children.

Even now, she often visited the orphanage where her father worked. Many of the orphans there shared similar interests with her and they formed close friendships with each other.

Janae's favorite activity was studying magic spells. In fact, she spent hours memorizing new incantations. Whenever she read aloud from a book or recited a poem, the other children listened attentively. They admired her abilities and envied her magical talents.

Of course, they also recognized how exceptional she truly was. One day, perhaps she'd go on to teach classes at the academy. Or maybe she would travel around the country sharing her knowledge and wisdom with others. Either way, she wouldn't have to worry about anything besides learning more spells.

While walking past another set of closed doors, Elisabeth suddenly realized that she hadn't eaten since yesterday evening. She remembered that she forgot to eat lunch while working overtime. Since then, she had consumed nothing but water. This left her starved and weak

After washing her hands, she sat down on a chair and took a seat. Before long, she heard footsteps approaching. Soon afterwards, a serving boy entered the dining hall carrying two plates.

"Here ya go!"

Elisabeth thanked him without rising to her feet.

The lad returned to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Elisabeth picked up her fork and knife and started eating.

Soon afterward, she noticed that Zell had joined her. His plate contained only vegetables.

"Did you forget to eat breakfast?"

"I overslept…"

"That happens sometimes."

"True."

As usual, he ate quickly and efficiently. Within moments, he finished his meal. He wiped the corners of his mouth with his napkin and folded the cloth neatly before placing it atop his tray. Then he retrieved the silverware and put them back in the basket. Once again, he moved toward the exit.

"Where will you be going today?" Elisabeth asked.

For a brief moment, Zell hesitated to reply.

He wanted today to be the day he marks her and makes her his forever.

"I am staying here today."

"…Why?"

Zell paused momentarily before answering. "Because I need to rest," he said quietly.

There was no doubt in Elisabeth's mind that something was bothering him. What exactly bothered him, she couldn't say.

Yet, she knew that she must find out sooner rather than later. Otherwise, she might miss her chance altogether.

Before she could ask him what troubled him, Zell departed through the front entrance and upstairs.

Zell was going to awaken mana today using the power of his own body.

This technique required tremendous concentration which made it impossible for him to use during daytime unless absolutely necessary. Fortunately for him, dawn arrived early in winter. Therefore, he decided upon awakening his powers immediately after sunrise. After all, it gave him plenty of time to prepare for the upcoming journey.

By now, he was fully recovered. There weren't any lingering effects remaining from his recent injuries. Moreover, his strength increased every week thanks to his training regimen. He considered himself ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.

Still, Zell wasn't sure whether he could handle the task alone. Should misfortune strike, he doubted his ability to survive. To make matters worse, he lacked experience fighting monsters. A few days ago, he defeated a wolf but he knew it was just luck.

If he faced a greater threat, he may well die trying to protect Elisabeth.