Chapter 336

A few days later,

Prince Chase was standing outside with the knights in the training ground. After the others had left the prince behind and in charge of affairs at the palace he had done his best to keep up on his training. He wanted to prove himself worthy of being sent out in the future. Wanting to be useful to the others.

Chase was standing around talking to a few knights when another aid ran up to him in a fluster, "Your Highness!"

"Hm?" Prince Chase turned to hear what the aid had to say.

The aid was breathing heavily from running all over the palace to find the young prince, explaining further, "The knights have returned from Brolan! They're almost back to the palace."

Prince Chase hesitated before asking, "Has mother been informed?"

"Yes," The aid replied, "A servant has been sent to inform her."

"Very well," Prince Chase thought carefully, "I should go and see to their arrival."

Prince Chase turned and headed in the direction of the palace gate. He intended to get there before Daryl's group returned. It was the prince's duty to look over everything while Vorbuk was away. Everything he did was for the sake of his loyalty to his father. Wanting to repay the one who pulled him out of the darkness.

When he reached the palace gate, Prince Chase stood and waited. Leaning against the gate while enjoying the warmth of the sun above. It could have been the coldest winter in his entire life. Yet the young prince would still find joy in basking in the rays of the sun. That might have been part of his tiger instincts that he could not escape from.

"They're coming!" A knight on watch for Daryl's group returning shouted from atop the palace wall.

Prince Chase's eyes flicked up in the direction they should be returning from. He could hear the sound of rushed hooves pounding against the road towards the palace. It felt like something was wrong. His eyes caught sight of Bredret quickly rushing towards the gate on horseback.

Who is that in his arms? ... ?! Prince Chase thought with a startle as he suddenly understood something was definitely wrong.

Turning to the knights around him, Prince Chase shouted, "Summon Priestess Mai immediately!"

"Yes!" A few knights replied and rushed off to find the priestess on cue.

It did not take long for Bredret to make it to the palace. As soon as he arrived with an unconscious Daryl in his arms, Bredret was rushed to find a safe place to put Daryl down to rest. The priestess was brought to his bedside to look over his condition and heal him.

Daryl's eyes flickered open as he felt a warmth rushing throughout his body. It was the mana of the priestess flowing into his body. Healing his wounds slowly as he muttered under his breath as he called out the name, "Zoe?"

The single word spoken was the only word Daryl could manage to speak before losing consciousness again. He was too weak from the condition he was in. Even after receiving treatment from the priestess he remained asleep for several hours. Others came and went while checking if there were any signs of him waking up.

The one who spent the most time at Daryl's bedside was the cat-girl, Zoe. She sat by his bedside while holding his hand in hers. Unable to do anything for him, Zoe could only wait for him to awaken on his own. It was the hardest thing she'd had to do in her entire life. That was how she felt.

Zoe sat in a chair beside the bed, his hand in hers as she leaned forward so that she could hold his hand close to her mouth, muttering, "Please wake up..."

"Are you still here with him?" Aoki asked while walking into the room to check on things himself. It was not that he cared about Daryl. He was simply feeling curious.

Zoe turned to glare at Aoki, replying, "Where else would I be right now?"

Aoki paused before saying, "Humans are so fragile."

Zoe suddenly jumped up and shouted at him, "If you are going to talk nonsense then just leave!"

Aoki flinched. He was not expecting such hostility from the girl. It was not that he was trying to insult Daryl. The fact was he simply saw the human race as a lower race. They were more fragile because it was easier for them to get killed.

Zoe added on, "He has always taken care of everyone. The last thing he needs is to be insulted by you."

"Humans are not good warriors on their own. He is trying to fight among savage beasts as such a lower race..." Aoki paused, "He is bound to get himself killed eventually."

"You-!!" Zoe was feeling infuriated with the stubborn vampire. He knew no respect and was bluntly rude in front of her.

"There are methods he could take to improve himself." Aoki suggested to her. It was only a passing thought he had when he considered methods to improve Daryl's chance at surviving the coming war.

Zoe was confused and asked him, "What methods are you talking about?"

"There are in fact races that are able to turn others..." Aoki explained slowly as he closed his eyes in thought.

Zoe hissed, her cat ears pinning back against her head, and asked, "Are you asking to turn him?"

"I never said it had to be me!" Aoki denied the thought of being the one who dealt with the situation with Daryl.

Zoe hesitated and thought out loud, "If it isn't you then who else could..?"

"Both vampires and werewolves are able to turn others into their own race." Aoki explained that there were two options available for Daryl to consider. It would benefit him if he chose to join a higher race.

"He would never consider such a thing." Zoe knew Daryl well enough over the years. He was not someone who would easily accept such an offer. There was a lot to consider when being given such a choice. Daryl would surely find the reasons to object to it.

Aoki did not believe the man would be able to deny himself the chance to get better. There were many things to gain from it. It was not as simple as whether Daryl would feel the choice to be right nor wrong. When at war your survival could not always be maintained by clean methods.

"When he awakes you should let him hear the options. If he wants to survive in the future it could benefit him greatly." Aoki suggested she at least let him know that he had the option.

Zoe gazed down at Daryl as he slept and said, "I will tell him about it."

Aoki could tell that the girl did not want to talk any further. She fell into a heavy silence. It felt tense in the room causing him to turn around and leave. He had already given her a suggestion for the human. The choice in the end would come down to what Daryl decided to do. He could remain a human and risk his life or he could join one of the races that he could be turned into.

His humanity or his life. Huh? Aoki thought to himself as he stopped and stood in place outside. Turning his gaze towards the stars he thought about it deeply.