Chapter 6: Awakening and Revelations

The group huddled around the bonfire, a profound silence settling over them, broken only by the soft crackle and hiss of the burning wood.

Chloe’s gaze swept over her new companions.

Her eyes first landed on the spearman, who stood on the perimeter. A palpable youthfulness emanated from his features. It was his turn for watch tonight, and his grip on his spear wavered, his fingers clenching and unclenching. Despite his legs trembling uncontrollably in the biting wind, he valiantly struggled to maintain a rigid, upright stance. His helmet, perpetually on the verge of toppling, was periodically nudged back into place with a jab of his middle finger.

‘Was his name Xiao Nuoqi?’ Chloe mused. ‘A rather peculiar name.’ Nevertheless, he appeared to be nothing more than a common spearman.

Chloe’s crimson eyes, sharp and discerning, then drifted to the taciturn cloaked figure. They were meticulously cleaning a weapon—a dagger that glinted with a chilling light, the very blade that had dispatched the bandit leader with a single, lethal strike. This enigmatic individual never uttered a word, communicating solely through precise gestures.

‘They certainly feel like a dangerous individual,’ Chloe thought, ‘and they seem to be paying particular attention to someone.’

Norria sat beside the carriage, his arms crossed, battling fiercely against the encroaching slumber. The nascent flames cast a warm glow upon his remarkably handsome face, a sight that piqued Chloe’s curiosity considerably.

‘For a mere guard, or at best, a retainer, he possesses an astonishing depth of knowledge regarding the Senate’s dealings,’ she mused. ‘He must have received a superior education; such systematic understanding would otherwise be impossible.’

‘A scion of nobility, or perhaps a bastard?’ Chloe considered, nodding subtly to herself. ‘Ah, yes. In these Dark Ages, to receive such an education only to become a guard, the latter seems far more plausible.’

Lady Xina, the very lord Norria had sworn to protect, was currently curled deep within her blankets, fast asleep and snoring contentedly.

Despite her noble status as a young lady, she possessed not an ounce of pampered self-consciousness. She would ravenously devour any coarse fare or wild game, utterly unconcerned by the rigors of sleeping rough. ‘Was she simply too adaptable?’ Chloe wondered.

‘She also seemed to suffer from some mental afflictions, though she appears to have recovered now,’ Chloe recalled. ‘Still, she once threatened to kill me.’

программA shiver of dread ran down Chloe’s spine as she remembered the undeniable, visceral killing intent she had sensed then.

‘A vampire and a madwoman,’ Chloe thought wryly. ‘With such lords, the people of Aflos must be truly blessed.’

As night deepened, Chloe retreated into the carriage’s warmth. Xiao Nuoqi, however, remained outside, tasked with tending to the horses. The previous coachman had, rather unfortunately, tumbled from a cliff just moments before, and Lady Xina, in her peculiar grief, had promptly appointed Xiao Nuoqi as the new royal coachman.

Chloe felt a profound surge of sympathy for Xiao Nuoqi.

The clouds sagged lower, and the howling wind threatened to overturn the carriage entirely.

By the dim glow of the lantern, Chloe roused herself with effort, stretching languidly. Glancing around, she saw her companions deep in slumber. Lady Xina’s sleeping posture was particularly striking: her fair, slender legs were splayed wide, one foot perilously close to Norria’s open, snoring mouth.

“Truly dreadful,” Chloe muttered.

Chloe carefully moved Lady Xina’s foot away from Norria, then stealthily disembarked from the carriage.

She pulled the golden-red robe tighter around herself. This distinguished symbol of the Senate had, rather ironically, been reduced to mere cold-weather attire. ‘She wondered what Alena would make of it,’ Chloe mused. ‘Still, this robe is surprisingly comfortable.’

The tall grass rustled softly, a sound like a secret tea party of bashful maidens, or the hushed whispers of clandestine sorcerers. The bonfire had long since died out, leaving the carriage shrouded in an impenetrable darkness.

As a vampire, Chloe possessed night vision, though it offered only marginally improved clarity. She had to grope her way forward through the gloom until her eyes discerned a familiar form.

“Forgive me, this will only take a moment.” Chloe parted her lips slightly, her small fangs delicately piercing the horse’s flank. Fresh blood slowly welled from the wound, trickling into Chloe’s mouth.

A profound sense of satiation washed over her, immediately followed by an overwhelming wave of revulsion that seized her entire body. She lurched forward, dry-heaving onto the cold ground.

“Horse blood is truly vile,” Chloe declared, wiping the crimson stain from the corner of her mouth. Despite the profound nausea, it had, at least, served to quell her hunger.

After all, the risk of discovery was far too great if she were to feed on human blood. Revealing her true vampiric nature now would be an exceptionally poor decision.

Chloe tiptoed back to the carriage, at last able to lie down and seek some proper rest.

The night passed without a single dream. When Chloe next stirred, the sky was already blushing with the first hint of dawn. She observed that her need for sleep had considerably diminished since becoming a vampire—a rather excellent constitution for cultivating immortality, she thought. Her companions, meanwhile, remained fast asleep.

Driven by a habit from her previous life, Chloe rose, intending to relieve herself. She ventured deep into the tall grass, instinctively straightening up before a large stone, and then—

“Wait, something feels… off.”

Chloe suddenly recalled that she was still clad in her long robe, and more importantly, she was now a girl!

She fumbled to undo the robe, but it stubbornly refused to yield. Frustrated, she tried to tear the fabric with both hands, yet it remained utterly unyielding.

After this fruitless endeavor, Chloe’s urge to relieve herself had entirely dissipated.

With flushed cheeks and a string of muttered curses, Chloe retreated from the tall grass.

She spotted Xiao Nuoqi rekindling the bonfire, his face smudged with ash, his clothes caked with mud. ‘Come to think of it,’ she mused, ‘I didn’t see him on watch last night. What exactly was he doing?’

Sensing Chloe’s approach, Xiao Nuoqi briefly lifted his gaze, only to quickly drop his head again.

A subtle weariness shadowed his eyes, suggesting a sleepless night. Chloe’s keen vampiric senses also detected a faint, metallic tang of blood clinging to him.

“Good morning,” Chloe greeted Xiao Nuoqi. “You must have had a strenuous night.”

“It is my honor to serve the Elder!” Xiao Nuoqi exclaimed, his voice booming.

“Shh! They’re still asleep,” Chloe admonished softly.

Chloe gestured towards the sleeping occupants of the carriage. Xiao Nuoqi instantly clapped a hand over his mouth, beads of sweat breaking out on his face.

“You needn’t speak so loudly when you reply,” Chloe instructed gently.

Chloe settled opposite Xiao Nuoqi, speaking with a touch of exasperation. Her curiosity piqued, she began to scrutinize the seemingly ordinary spearman.

Xiao Nuoqi was a brown-haired youth whose accent struck Chloe as peculiar. Even stranger, however, was the fact that the language of this decidedly European-styled world was Chinese. Though his face retained a boyish innocence, his demeanor was starkly different from the boisterous children of Chloe’s original world. His melancholic green eyes seemed to imbue him with a subtle air of mystery. He rarely initiated conversation, appearing timid and hesitant.

Xiao Nuoqi, realizing Chloe’s unwavering gaze, flushed crimson. He dropped his head, attempting to evade her scrutiny.

“Xiao Nuoqi,” Chloe began, “why does your name have ‘Xiao’ preceding it?” It was a question that had lingered in her mind for quite some time.

“That’s because… I’m the youngest among my siblings, so my older brothers and sisters added ‘Xiao’ to my name,” he explained, “though some say it’s simply because I was quite small as a child.” Xiao Nuoqi scratched his head, a shy flush on his cheeks. “Honestly, I’ve even forgotten when the name first caught on. Eventually, everyone just started calling me Xiao Nuoqi.”

“Why would the Elder be interested in such a thing?” Xiao Nuoqi countered, looking surprised. “I am merely a spearman; my name holds little consequence. If the Elder prefers, I can simply drop the ‘Xiao’ from it. After all, I am now the eldest in my family.”

‘Does he mean his entire family is gone?’ Chloe pondered, a somber thought.

“Merely a touch of curiosity,” Chloe replied simply.

Chloe felt a pang of self-consciousness, realizing her social graces were sorely lacking, always inadvertently stumbling upon others’ hardships.

“After all, I’ve only just emerged from the depths of the ancient mountains, and I’m eager to understand what has transpired in this world.”

“War,” Xiao Nuoqi replied, his voice heavy. “It is everywhere.”

Xiao Nuoqi, for once, met Chloe’s gaze directly. “Though there are no conflicts between nations, their respective vassals are perpetually embroiled in unrest. Our village, for instance, was completely plundered by the knights of an opposing lord. My brothers fell in battle, and my sisters were all sold into slavery—they are likely dead by now,” he continued, his voice trailing off. “Forgive me… I shouldn’t burden the Elder with such tales.”

“It’s quite alright,” Chloe assured him, her tone gentle. “As a governor of this world, I too bear some responsibility for such affairs.”

‘What on earth are Wuxu and her colleagues actually doing…’ Chloe wondered, a flicker of exasperation.

Chloe began to entertain serious suspicions that the Senate was merely collecting salaries without performing their duties. If the Senate genuinely wielded magic akin to a console command, then achieving global peace would, in theory, be astonishingly simple, negating the need for Chloe to be summoned from a distant world to act as a conqueror.

Chloe’s mind drifted back to the two knights she had encountered earlier. In retrospect, they were more likely mere lackeys dispatched by the Senate to hunt Alena—though clearly outsourced ones, given their utter ignorance of Alena’s appearance. ‘Their primary objective, I suspect, was to plunder passing villages,’ she concluded. ‘Capturing people was merely a lucrative sideline.’

“By the way, Xiao Nuoqi,” Chloe interjected, “do you know what a Seven Star Sword Saint is?” She suddenly recalled a menacing knight who had once proclaimed himself one, only to be instantly obliterated by Alena.

Norria emerged from the carriage, his voice resonating with fervor. “The Seven Star Sword Saints are the most formidable warriors in existence. They are conferred by the Holy See and represent humanity’s seven strongest champions. Those who receive this title not only possess unparalleled martial prowess but also embody the noblest knightly spirit! Every warrior in the world aspires to join their esteemed ranks!” Norria’s eyes seemed to gleam with a golden light.

Chloe’s brow furrowed. That foul-mouthed knight, so easily dispatched, could hardly be associated with unparalleled martial prowess or a noble knightly spirit.

“I think Brother Norria could already stand alongside them!” Xiao Nuoqi declared, rising to his feet and gazing at Norria with adoration. “You led us in repelling so many bandits!”

“Well, that credit truly belongs to them,” Norria said, glancing at the cloaked figure standing silently behind him. “And compared to the Seven Star Sword Saints, my abilities are still vastly inferior.”

‘If you could withstand a single spell from Alena, you would surpass any Seven Star Sword Saint,’ Chloe thought to herself. However, if the previous transmigrator was so powerful, why was she so utterly inept? Chloe was at a loss, wondering if the Senate had intervened, forcibly removing her inherent cheat abilities.

“Everyone’s up so early~” Lady Xina drawled, emerging with her long black hair disheveled from sleep. She rubbed her drowsy eyes, her legs wobbling as she tried to stand. Norria quickly steadied her.

“Big chicken drumstick… delicious…” Lady Xina murmured, a trail of drool escaping her lips, clearly still dreaming of a delectable feast.

“Lady Xina, we will enjoy many delicacies once we reach the capital,” Norria assured her. “We are not far from the capital now.”

“Really?!” Lady Xina instantly straightened up, sucking back her drool. “Then let’s depart quickly!”

“How wonderful,” Chloe muttered, clutching her empty stomach. “At least you all have hope.”

The horse, as if sensing something, suddenly turned its head. Chloe and the horse gazed at each other for a long moment.