And The Sun's Out

"I know better than anyone when my words and temper will do nothing but harm, Lord Blackwell," Eleanor said. "It may appear that I'm walking on eggshells, and have reduced myself as someone who hasn't defended Rose… but it's a far better outcome."

"So you pretend to be unbothered."

"If you are more bothered than me, Lord Blackwell, perhaps you could choose to desist with such acts." Eleanor pointed out with a graceful smile before she turned away and headed into the kitchen.

Watching her carry herself with such confidence made me frown.

Once again, it reminded me that there was no way for me to underestimate someone like her. Whether or not I keep playing along to her visions or not, that was entirely dependent on me.

There was no other person but myself that could be blamed for if she became too arrogant and assumed that I would just play around her hands.

"Amazing, I cannot simply be reduced to this." I grunted and pulled up to my feet. With one more look over my shoulder as I ascertained that the princess was doing her duties, I made a decision to go outside.

The soft golden rays of the sun spread across the sky and gave sight to the beautiful light blue canvas.

Many people would find their breaths taken away by the sheer magnitude of a sky that seemed to stretch forever–but as the rays descended down on me with judgment, that was the only thing I could focus on.

"Ack–that hits the spot," I said.

The sun's rays were indeed a dangerous aspect for a lesser Vampire, but someone around my stature could simply shrug them off.

… Well, that was a lie.

The sun burned, it stung and it could reduce someone to mere smithereens. That was something that didn't quite easily dissipate just because one grew in power as a Vampire.

From what the legends said, the sun god had personal grudges over Night Creatures such as myself. But what made me the better of my counterparts was my ability to work in spite of it.

Someone around the Hawthorne House might have fared better simply because they could manipulate the shadows around them, like an inky black dome that hovered around them and absorbed the sunlight.

Reinhart wouldn't last long, although their blood powers were strong.

However, it seemed that I wouldn't have a moment to myself because I immediately noticed a gigantic amount of water that hovered above my head–one would think that it offered a sanctuary, but I knew better than anyone else that it was far from that.

"It's quite interesting that you're using the wind to carry all of that water, I suppose there is a lack of containers." I pointed out to the approaching girl.

Now that the sun gave enough light, the colors became much more visible on Rose's clothes. I had already seen her last night as any ordinary Vampire had night vision–but now, I saw a rather worn down simple trousers and shirt.

It made sense that a runaway wore far more comfortable clothes than a stuffy mage robes.

"...shouldn't you be burning up now?" Rose asked. "Your face is red. It would do us a favor if you started screaming at us in pain."

"So you say, but it seems you're sheltering me from the direct heat of the sun."

"You misinterpret my actions, you're only in my way."

"How bold," I said. "Regardless, is that all you have to wear?"

"Do you have a problem with my clothes?"

"Well, I expect that you and the princess have a storage ring, even someone not as loved as her would have a simple trinket. So besides access to the food that you have stored, you'd also have other clothing."

Rose's gaze narrowed at me. "I presume that you wish us to wear… something more suitable and appropriate as servants. Her Highness doesn't have anything like that, but perhaps I can repurpose some of my clothes."

"You don't need to worry about that, I may be able to handle it."

"Please do not tell me that you have very specific powers when it comes to dress-making," Rose said. "It may seem believable but–"

"Believable, how?" I raised a brow in amusement. There was no way that I had earned Skills in what a Tailor or Seamstress might have had. Instead, I cleared my throat and looked back into the castle. "There was an individual, I'm not sure if they're as famed as me and the elf that you mentioned earlier–but I've acquired certain goods from a certain time. I believe it will suffice."

"W-what?"

Glancing one last time at the sun, I spun around and headed back into the manor.