After the incident with the combination spell I learned a few things. First off, the new spell I have is awesome.

  Burning Sicle (1)

  Combination spell. Flaming ice causes a large explosion on impact, causing burning vapor to sear anything close by. Radius is affected by both equipment and mana usage.

  Mana: 32

  Attack Power: 78

  The second thing I learned is when I use magic combination spells to create magic it heavily drains my mana. I spent some time back in Hulin’s study and found the book I originally saw. Apparently, it drains both spells mana which I kind of figured. The thing I didn’t realize is it also uses a large amount of mana to combine the spells initially. I haven’t tried since, but if I make sure that I am in a safe environment I should be okay in the future. It scared Belinda, so I don’t think I will do it again for now.

  I finally got around to clearing the courtyard. The fountain that is there is where we have been getting our water. Truthfully, if I would have known how dirty it is I would have done this much sooner. The bushes almost completely overtook the area so I didn’t get a good look initially. Now, we have completely fresh drinking water from it, but I really want to fix the well that is located in the center of the courtyard. I dropped a stone down it and heard water, so I assume it’s still usable.

  Belinda has been spending her days in the study, too. Her magic skills have grown, and it's been pretty nice to watch her grow as a person. She mainly looks for magic to help us around the castle, so I am not complaining. Since I got here, I have worked primarily on combat-type magic.

  “Reinvigorate.” Belinda held up both of her hands, magic circles appearing in both.

  It looks like she picked up on magic combination, too. I want to do something nice for her to show how much I appreciate the work she’s been doing. The new spell she learned has revamped the castle, literally. It appears to revert the target back to its initial state. So everywhere she has cast the spell looks like it’s brand new again.

  The courtyard, our home of operations, and even the walkways around the courtyard. All of it looks like it was just built. I don’t let her do too much each day, because I don’t want her mana to deplete too much to where she passes out. But I don’t think I can make myself stop her from continuing. Each time she does a section, she runs to me for me to see it. Honestly… it’s the cutest thing ever.

  I’m happy she gets to just be a kid. Yeah, she’s technically a servant in her mind I think. At least now she can still do kid things while living her life.

  As the day started to end, I think it’s time for me to give her that gift. In my old world, we fried foods with oil. Oil was technically just fat, so while she worked on cleaning up the castle I spent my time boiling different meats and getting the fat collected by skimming the top of the water. Luckily, we found the kitchen and Belinda made it just like new again so I have some utensils to work with.

  I figure, if I had to choose, I think kuraage would be a good choice. I don’t have any breading, but frying it with some of the herbs in the garden, which Belinda fixed up too, should be fine. After I leveled up my appraise skill some more, I got a little better information from the plants I appraise.

  Peppercorn Plant (U)

  The seeds are well-known for their taste, nobility are always on the lookout for this plant’s fruit at the market. Can be used whole or crushed.

  I kind of figured out what kind of plant it was by looking, but since this is a new world I wanted to make sure I wasn’t making a poison.

  I took the oil and pan, then built a small fire in the stove in the kitchen. While the oil heated, I thoroughly cleaned then used the Dwarven Clippers to cut the meat off of the bone from the twisted canaries and dark pigeons.

  With the oil boiling, I cut the meat into small pieces and peppered them before placing them in the oil. The sound and the smell… This is going to be good.

  To my surprise, the cooking method went over pretty much like it did in my old life. The smell enveloped the room, which made me even more hungry. After a few minutes, the breadless kuraage was done.

  “I want to add a little something extra…” I remember there were fruits in the garden. I am not sure what kind, but with appraise I should be able to make Belinda some juice.

  Deathknell Fruit Tree (R)

  The fruit of this tree is poisonous enough to kill a person with one bite. Assassins use this to kill their targets, alchemists break down the poison to make medicines. The uses are hard to find, as this is a rare plant.

  “Well… not that one.” I continue looking through the garden until I find something that looks promising.

  Joba Fruit Tree (S)

  The Joba fruit is known for its great flavor. Can be sold for large sums of money as this plant is extremely hard to find. Most cities have two or three of these fruits come through the market every few years.

  Jackpot! There are a few of these trees here in the garden, and they are all fruiting. I guess I struck it lucky here.

  I took the fruit back and pressed it into glasses. After tasting it… “MMM!” I can see why appraise noted its great flavor.

  I took the food outside to the courtyard and set up a small table with two chairs.

  “Belinda! It’s time for dinner!” I yelled out, unsure of what part of the castle she is currently in. Not long after, I heard the pitter-patter of small feet come running around the ledge to the staircase.

  She sat down, staring intently at the food in front of her. “Is this alright for me to eat? I have never seen something like this…” She poked at the poultry in front of her with her fork.

  “Yea, it's something that I had in my homeland before coming here. Eat up before it gets cold.” I said, with food already half-way to my face.

  “DELICIOUS!” Belinda yelled as she was chewing her first bite.

  “I wanted to thank you for all your hard work. You are doing so great, and this is my way of thanking you. Honestly, we can have this more if you like it. Since you fixed the kitchen, I have been able to–” I stopped midway through my sentence after noticing the tears hit the table. I couldn’t tell because her head was looking down, but she was crying.

  “What’s wrong, I said you were doing good.” I hope I didn’t make her think she was just being rewarded for being a hard worker. She’s not a tool, honestly, I couldn’t think of anything further from that statement. I just wanted to give her something nice since she has been trying so hard.

  “Do-Do you really think I have done good?” She said without lifting her head.

  “Of course! Honestly, even if you didn’t I would still want to do stuff like this for you. Truthfully, I wouldn’t have been able to get the castle back in the condition it is now by this point without you. You have researched magic to help around here all on your own. I couldn’t ask for more.” I looked down at my plate, kind of embarrassed for having to actually say it. But it’s true. I couldn’t ask for more, but the hardest thing to say is I really feel like a family. This feeling isn’t something I want to lose so I don’t think I can tell her that.

  She looked up grinning, tears still staining her face, “Then I will keep working hard!” She started eating again.

  I couldn’t help but to smile. “I still want you to be a kid, though. So don’t overdo it. That’s not what I want.” I said calmly.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  The rest of the dinner was great, we happily chowed down on the food until there were nothing but crumbs left.

  Not long after we cleaned up the dishes from dinner, something in the sky came flying down at an alarming speed. A dragon?

  A massive green dragon landed in the courtyard, crushing the stone floor beneath its feet. The monster had to be at least 12 meters tall. This might be a problem…

  I sent Belinda up to the ledge and walked over to the dragon. It seemed to not care that I was there, like either it was ordered to do something else or it didn’t see me as a threat. Before I could get any closer, a man slid down the dragon, off of its back and down its side carrying a scroll.

  “Good evening.” The man bowed, putting one arm over his chest.

  “How can we help you?” I asked. I haven’t really taken in what is happening, but that dragon did just destroy the floor of the courtyard… Either way, I am going to treat this as something diplomatic until I see how it goes.

  The man stood up, “My name is Bartholemus, I am a holy rider from the Holy City. We got word from some of our scouts that the Castle of Damnation was changing. It appears you two are to blame. Am I correct?”

  “Yes, this is our home. We have been cleaning it up.” I said calmly, not letting any depiction of worry show as to not show weakness.

  “By order of the Followers of Murak, this castle is deemed unholy ground. You must vacate at once.” He said, holding out his hand with the scroll.

  I grabbed it, but didn’t open the scroll. I don’t follow Murak, so this shouldn’t apply to me. As I think about it, the man notices I am lost in thought.

  “You said our, are there others here?” He said, glancing around.

  “Yes, a small girl as well. Belinda. My name is Ken.”

  “Well, isn’t this a stroke of luck? There was a warrant put out for a runaway who survived named Belinda. She is to be executed.”

  My chest starts to ache from what he just said. “Executed?” The man kept talking, but I only heard bits and pieces because my ears started ringing. Slowly, my vision turned red at the thoughts of what might happen.

  “--you will be killed if you don’t–” Bartholemus was still bantering.

  “How about this…” I said looking up, I could feel something happening with my teeth. It felt as though my canines were growing. “I follow Ysmiro. I don’t follow Murak. I don’t follow you. I don’t follow your rules.” The scroll lit on fire and burnt to ash in an instant. “I don’t follow you. And I damn sure won’t let you take away the only family I have ever had.”

  I finally got a family, the one thing I dreamed of. Even though she may not look at it that way, I do. I will not let her be taken. I will not let her die.

  My body started burning. Something was happening, whatever it was… I don’t even care anymore. I have to protect Belinda.

  “You will not take my daughter.”

  A new window appeared.

  Evolution Successful.

  Half-Vampire has now evolved into Demonic Vampire

  Windows grew from my back, my hands cracked and split into sharp claws. My mouth grew outward, giving a dog appearance to my jaw.

  I lost control of my anger, and slashed at the dragon.

  “No… it-it can be…” Bartholemus stepped backwards as the dragon spewed blood from the claw marks. Covering him as well as the grown in spatters of it’s remains before it slid apart into three pieces.

  “Leave.” I stood over Bartholemus, pointing toward the front gate. “Never return.” My vision was still red, and for some reason it is as though I don’t have control over my body anymore. Bartholemus fell backward, in shock of what just transpired.

  I started to raise my arm toward Bartholemus when I felt two small arms wrap around my leg. “Ken, please stop. If you kill him it might make it harder for us to live here in peace. I finally found somewhere I can be happy…” Belinda cried out.

  I slowly began to regain control over my body, and it went back into its previous form… for the most part. There were two horns that started to grow from my forehead now, which felt more ominous than anything.

  “My papa spared you. Let your lord know to leave us be or else.” Belinda spit at Bartholemus, pulled down one eye and sticking out her tongue.

  I stood there, still fixed on him as he sat. “Don’t make her say it again.”

  “Un-un-understood…” Bartholemus gathered his composure and stood, dusting off his pants. It looked as though it were for nothing with all of the blood on his clothes. “Follower of a false god, you have made enemies of the Followers of Murak.”

  “That’s where you are wrong. They just made enemies of me. I am the Paladin of Ysmiro!” I said walking toward him. “If I have another unwelcome visit like today, I will pay you a visit in the near future. Along with everything you hold dear.” I locked eyes with him, his eyes wide-open staring back at me.

  In the end, Belinda managed to calm me down and Bartholemus took his leave.

  “Do you really see me as your daughter?” Belinda said grinning.

  “Only if you are okay with that. I wouldn’t mind at all.” I said, looking back down at her. After stopping me from finishing Bartholemus, I can’t really say I didn’t feel as though she could be my daughter.

  She grinned, the first full smile I think I have ever seen from her. “Then you are my papa from now on!” She jumped up and embraced me around the neck.

  I could feel tears piling up around my eyes, this was the one true feeling I was hoping for since I came here. I really just wish we could have done this differently… maybe I took that a little too far?

  No. He had it coming. No one is going to hurt my family.

  “Belinda, dear. Could you please fix the stone where this stupid lizard fell?” I asked, looking at the broken stones.

  “Reinvigorate!” The dragon moved slowly as the stones went back into place.

  I’ll deal with the dragon carcass later.

  “Want some more kuraage?” I asked, smiling. I took Belinda by the hand and headed back to the kitchen to cook some more.

  - Holy City Imperial Headquarters -

  “Bartholemus, report.” A man sat at the end of a round table and spoke bluntly. “What of the Castle of Damnation?”

  “Sir Rojan, there is someone who lives there.” Bartholemus lowered his head.

  “Lives there? You didn’t remove them?” The man said, slamming his hand on the table. “Why else did we give you a dragon to use? And where is that dragon?!”

  “Sir, it’s dead. The man who lives there is a demonic vampire who serves a god named Ysmiro. He killed the dragon in one slash. Honestly, I thought I was dead next.” He said, with the fear of what happened still fresh on his mind.

  “I see. So Ysmiro, huh?” Rojan said, scratching his beard. “I have never heard of this deity.” A robed man twitched twice now at the name. Rojan took notice, but decided to pay it no mind. “Let’s leave him be then. If he is this powerful, then we don’t want to go making enemies with him just yet.”

  “That may be hard now sir…” Bartholemus said, in a tone closer to a whisper.

  “And why is that?”

  “He took in a runaway slave as a daughter…” Bartholemus said, still in the same tone that sounded like he knew he was going to be scolded.

  “And?!” Rojan said, commanding the answer from Bartholemus.

  “And her name is on the warrant list for execution. So I told him, that she was to be executed. That is actually what started this whole dilemma.” Bartholemus finally blurted out.

  Rojan stood and walked over to Bartholemus, the moment he was within distance he punched him across his face. “You don’t know your enemy and you spout nonsense like that!” He hit him once more. “You disgrace not only yourself by doing that, but also your own countrymen!”

  Rojan walked back over to his seat and fell into it, putting his hands on his head. “We are going to have to fix this. Vampires are one thing, but this one is on a whole other level. Obviously he doesn’t think like a killer otherwise you wouldn’t have made it home after your comment.”

  After thinking for a short time, a smile came across Rojan’s face. “I have an idea. Let’s give him the forest. That way, he has his own domain to worry about.”

  “The whole forest, sir?” One man voiced.

  “Honestly, do you want him to come here and request it himself?”

  “N- No…” A few voices started murmuring.

  “Then it’s settled. I am going to use my power as General to ensure his domain is the Forest of Turantia. With all of the rabid beasts there, surely he won’t be able to do anything of note. Also, that makes us look apologetic by ‘giving’ him his own domain.” He chuckled. “Bartholemus, make yourself useful and ready my dragon.”

  Bartholemus stood, bowing with one arm over his chest. “Yes, sir. Right away.” Then scurried off, scowling over what had happened.

  “Damn you, you unholy beast. Making a mockery of me will be the worst mistake you have made.” Bartholemus spoke under his breath while he trudged his way out of the conference room.

  “Keep an eye on him, Asmirelda. I don’t trust that he won’t cause us problems with that ego of his.” Rojan said to a figure in the dark corner of the room.

  “Consider it done.” The female voice responded before disappearing.

  “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. I hope we can find common ground with this vampire.” Rojan whispered to himself.