The fat Lizard Lord yanked open his collar, exposing his foul-smelling neck to Adam, eyes blazing with a "I'm ready to die" determination.
For a moment, Adam froze. Then he understood.
He had intended to release this man, letting the news of a vampire in the castle reach the upper echelons of this kingdom. Word would spread fast. The scattered vampire clans would hear of him soon enough.
Vampires were a noble species in two ways. First, they depended on humans to survive—thousands of humans would be needed to quietly satisfy one vampire's hunger. Second, they were true nobles: idle, hidden in shadows, avoiding suspicion, yet always commanding power.
So in the world Adam came from, vampires were always tied to aristocracy. Here, nothing had changed.
Hated by humans and virtually immortal, vampires maintained strict bloodlines and tight-knit organizations. Once a vampire appeared in this area, the clan would inevitably investigate. Adam's goal was to contact that investigator, who would then lead him to Lilith and Uriel.
But the situation had changed.
The Lizard Lord, confused by Adam's intentions, decided on the simplest course: pledge loyalty. After all, why risk dying when becoming a vampire guaranteed eternal life? A clever choice, all things considered.
Adam grinned. Accepting him wouldn't hurt. But the plan would need adjusting…
"I accept your loyalty. But first, you'll do some human work." Adam reached out, pulling the Lizard Lord's collar back, then swiped his long nails across the remaining two camels, killing them instantly. A warning: no second thoughts.
The Lizard Lord twitched at the gruesome sight. "My lord… tell me what to do!" he said, wiping snot and tears, but now fully serious.
"Call me 'Your Highness' from now on. Not 'my lord.' Do you have messenger hawks? Notify the outside that a vampire has been captured here." Adam wiped the camel blood off his fingers on the fat man's sleeve.
"Of course, Your Highness! I have three carrier hawks—consider it done." The Lizard Lord nodded, unsure of Adam's true intentions, deciding it was safer not to guess.
He hesitated for a moment. "Highness… what about my men?" He gestured toward the bandits outside. He wanted them alive—loyal soldiers were valuable.
"How do you plan to feed them?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I guarantee that every night, one will be cleaned and placed on your table—whoever it is, it'll be fresh!"
Adam shook his head. "Not every night. Once a week for now—five days left. Go. Don't bother me unless necessary." He turned to leave, then remembered. "Tidy up the castle. And the girl inside—don't harm her."
The fat man chuckled mischievously. "Understood, Your Highness. A few of them? Should I bring them out too?" Clearly, he assumed Adam had… appetites.
Adam smiled faintly, shaking his finger at him. "Focus. The girl is important. Just lock her up. No harm." He draped his cloak over his shoulders and went to rest.
Once Adam left, the Lizard Lord shed his terrified act. Standing tall, he addressed his bandits:
"Listen up! We're now under His Highness! Thanks to me, you'll continue to rob, and if you fail to capture anyone, at least clean and prep food for the table!"
"But… we have no camels," one bandit stammered.
"Who said camels are necessary? We ambush, we run, we improvise!"
Easier said than done. The Lizard Lord had made the strategy, but none had seen him lead a raid personally. For now, he was all talk.
That night, Adam slept better than he had in days—his body mostly recovered, and no one disturbed him beyond the occasional noise from the castle.
As night fell, he awoke to find the fat Lizard Lord waiting outside the door.
"Your Highness, all orders completed," he said, beaming like a flower. Adam didn't know if this man was robbing or gifted—it didn't matter.
"Good," Adam nodded, donning a fine robe the Lizard Lord had brought—source unknown.
"What's your name?" Adam asked, curious about his new subordinate.
"I'm Katam… the Lizard," the man replied.
Adam smirked. "From now on, you're Fat Pig." Names in Eden were often simple: Stone, Iron, Fire. Katam didn't suit him. Fat Pig fit.
The man grinned, licking his lips. "Thank you, Your Highness," he said, ignoring the insult entirely. Then he asked earnestly, "The girl has been captured. How shall I handle her?"
"Does she know I'm a vampire?" Adam asked.
"She… figured it out today. Cursed you in the dungeon all day."
"Tell her—one curse, one missed meal."
"Yes, Your Highness."
As expected, Fengmi likely witnessed the commotion from her hiding spot. Now she knew Adam was a vampire. Communication would be trickier—bandits were human, but vampires were no longer.
Adam pondered briefly, then decided to lock her up for a while. Time could break even a will of steel.
"And the outside… if someone comes, how fast can they reach here?"
"Fastest? Four days from the nearest town."
"Good. Prepare the castle. Clear several guest rooms. I'll be hosting visitors in the next day or two." Adam smiled, watching Fat Pig's chubby face twitch. Four days' normal travel—but these guests would cross the distance in two. Their identities? Only one possibility.