Chapter 8

"Thank you for your purchase please take good care of them." Ruby said as she waved goodbye to the man who bought three goats from her.

"That's the last of them. We should really go now and book for an inn before we run out of rooms or else we might sleep on the streets. I never expected that people actually flock here. Why is that?" Alucard asked as he picked up Zwei who was trying to chew his boots.

"Well, the extremely dangerous monsters only dwell deep in the forests and seldom do they leave their hunting grounds in this time of the year that's why some daring hunters want to achieve wealth and glory by hunting the monsters of the outer circle of the forest. Although a lot of them never really make it back but those who do become insane, or rich, or insanely rich." The maiden answered as she was counting her earnings.

"How much did you make?" Ruby asked as Alucard handed her a tiny drawstring purse.

"Eighteen silvers and twelve bronze pieces. How about you?"

"I made twenty silvers and five bronze and that would make it thirty-eight silvers and seventeen bronze. We can buy two A-class inn rooms with this as well as more materials for our travels!" Ruby exclaimed in excitement.

"That's great, you must be hungry by now little lady, you haven't taken a single thing in your stomach since this afternoon. Let's get to an inn and go grab something to eat."

"Yes sir!" Ruby cheered with a bright smile.

The two started walking towards a three-story wooden edifice however Ruby's pace slowed down when she noticed something that made her heart feel sad. In the distance, near a ruined building, an old woman sat with her two grandchildren, one boy and one girl who both look like they were about her age.

The small family is obviously homeless and extremely poor because of their tattered clothing and dirty appearance. The grandma was breaking a small bread and giving the larger portions to her grandchildren, almost leaving nothing to herself. The sight made Ruby's heart melt with sadness and pity.

"Ruby what's wrong?" asked Alucard in worry.

"It's nothing, I just wonder why there are still people starving on the streets even though the people around them are perfectly adequate to help. It just makes me sad."

The sadness in the girl's beautiful face made his heart clench. Her emotions are really contagious, and he wants to remove that sad expression from her beautiful face.

"Ruby," he started but was cut off by the said girl.

"Alucard can I give this money to that poor family. They need it more than we do, I still have money on my basket from my grandma and grandpa's savings for my 18th birthday, we can use that instead for our travels and inn rooms. Please." Ruby pleaded, her brilliant emerald eyes shining with determination.

"Well, we really don't need that money. Your father gave me a hansom budget to provide for our travel necessities. Go ahead little lady do what you must." he said patting her hair.

Ruby smiled in joy. "Thank you, Alu!" she said before running off towards the direction of the family.

"Uhmm hello. I noticed that you need a little help so here." she handed the boy the tiny pouch containing the sum of her income. The boy looked at his grandma before shyly taking it from the red-wearing maiden. The boy opened the small bag and his eyes widen as he saw the most money he ever held in his entire life. The old lady's eyes also widen at this and she quickly took the money and handed it back to Ruby.

"Kind lady we cannot possibly accept this large a sum, we didn't earn it so please take it back." The old lady said.

"It's okay, it's yours now. You need it more than I do."

"But young lady we really can't. Even though we are poor we still have a little bit of dignity. We can only take a little bit of bread and water not this much."

Ruby pulled down her hood so that the grandma can clearly see the earnestness in her face. The boy and his sister gasped, they were bewildered by her beautiful features. They've never seen anyone with golden hair and emerald eyes before and her pretty face made her look like royalty. The boy blushed as he relished her features.

"You're so pretty." whispered the little girl.

"Thank you."

"Would you accept gifts instead of alms, especially since its nearly a holiday now."

"Well I suppose, the children would love that." the grandma said.

Ruby rummage in her basket and took out a large loaf of bread wrapped in clean paper as well as chocolate spread, she handed them to the little girl who beamed at the gifts. Next, she pulled out a soft blanket and handed it to the grandma who thanked her greatly. Lastly, she pulled out a jar filled with chips of black wood, a knife, and a red cloak quite identical to hers and gave it to the boy.

The boy frowned at this. What is he supposed to do with this lot? "Thank you dear lady, but what can I do with these wood chips?"

"What's your name?" Ruby merely asked

"Gareth, my lady."

"Nice to meet you Gareth, now let me tell you a secret." The family leaned closer to the girl curious about what she has to tell.

"I live in the middle of this forest." Ruby started.

"No way! But that's so dangerous." said the little girl.

"It is but I know how to fight. Two years ago my village was attacked by beowolves and I was the only one who survived because my grandparents taught me how to fight. After that, I took vengeance on the beowolves and killed most of them while wearing this red cloak." She raised her red cape to prove it.

"Now the monsters didn't dare to come close to me. The moment they see this red cloak they would turn tails and run away or else I would cut them into pieces. This red cloak will give you protection in the forest." she spoke placing a hand on the red fabric she gave him.

"What about the wood chips? what do they do?"

"These are Agarwood. They cost tons of money because of their functions. The scent their sap produce is fragrant that's why merchants pay great sums for these chips, however, they serve another purpose. Their fragrance is repulsive to monsters which makes them more valuable. You can find this wood around my village as well as on the outskirts of the woods. They have narrow but tall trunks unlike the rest of the trees that's why it's not hard to miss them. Collect plenty and sell them to merchants so that you can earn lots. Goodbye now, my friend is waiting for me." she stood up and waved them goodbye before running away.

"Lady wait!" yelled Gareth. Ruby stopped in her tracks and looked back at the boy.

"What is it?"

"What's your name?" he asked.

"It's Ruby. Ruby Edelweiss Rose." she said before running towards Alucard.

"Ruby Edelweiss Rose." he spoke as if it was a spell. A shining glint caught his attention and he looked down to inspect what it was. He saw the bag of coins on the ground Ruby was offering them earlier. He picked them up and pocketed it. "You are a mysterious lady Ruby Edelweiss." He said as he looked back up the girl but saw that she and her blue wearing companion are no longer in sight.

🌹

"I would like to book two A class rooms please." Alucard said to the innkeeper.

"I'm sorry sir but we no longer have those rooms available as well as B and C classes." answered the innkeeper in apology.

"Are there no other rooms available? This is like the second inn we've been to." inquired Ruby with a frown.

"I don't think that-"

"Madeline, the couple's room on the third floor is now vacant." yelled a rotund short man with a large belly.

"Good news miss, a couple's room is now available. You and your handsome brother wouldn't mind sharing it, would you?"

Alucard and Ruby shared an odd look but they were too lazy to correct the lady so they both just shrugged.

"We'll take it." they said in unison placing the payment on the desk.

"We'll also like for two deluxe meals to be served on our rooms please." Alucard said looking at the menu.

"I would also like blueberry cheesecake and one large steak for my little cub." Ruby added lifting up the wolf.

"Arrf arrff." barked Zwei as if agreeing.

"Are pets allowed in this establishment?" asked Alucard.

"Not really sir. If it barks, it will disturb our other guests."

"How about now?" Alucard placed down three gold coins on the desk and flashed the woman a flirtatious smile.

"Well this one seems to be a good boy so why not." she smiled back at him as she collects the money and gave them the key.

"Also ask the stable boy to give our horses lots of water, apples, and hay." Ruby placed another gold coin on the desk and started walking away.

"Right away miss. Have a pleasant stay." The woman smiled brightly, elated by her large earnings in just one minute.

🌹

"This should be it. Room 318." Alucard inserted the key and turned the knob opening the door. Ruby entered first followed by Alucard who locked the door behind her.

"I know that this is a couple's room but isn't this too weird." Ruby commented observing the room.

The room is dimly lit by four red lights placed on the corners of the ceiling and the walls have lewd silhouette images of copulation positions. The room is spacious and painted with cream white. A glass double door is on the left of the bed leading to a balcony where Ruby can see the pale moonlight shining through. There was only a single queen-sized bed with red and white covers and four fluffy pillows. Red rose petals shaped into hearts are placed on the cover and scattered on the floor of the room. The inn also provided scented candles lit on the bedside table and the coffee table in between the sofa set.

Ruby went to the bedside table to place her basket in there and noticed a clear bowl containing flat square sachets. She picked up a blue sachet and observed it. Each sachet has a different color and flavor and circular imprints.

"High-quality flexible rubber." she read.

"Alucard what is this thing for?" she asked presenting the object to the older male.

"It's nothing! It's not something young ladies should be dealing with." Alucard quickly took the bowl and the sachet from her and started gathering the rose petals from the bed and placing it on the bowl. He shoved the bowl on the drawer and started kicking away the rose petals.

"There's only one bed Alucard. What should we do? "

"You can have it. I'll just sleep on the sofa. " Alucard took two pillows and went to place them on the sofa but stopped when he noticed an odd substance on the furniture's fabric. What he found is a white substance with the viscosity of mucous. This room is a couple's room, the former occupants just left, which means that this substance can only be "Semen. Those innkeepers are really doing a poor job at keeping their facilities sanitized. I wouldn't sleep in something like this even though I'm worn as hell."

"Ruby can I borrow a blanket. I'll just sleep on the floor."

"But it's really cold at night in here you'd totally freeze. You might get sick because of that." Ruby reasoned.

"It's okay, your well-being is my top priority. As long as you're fine it doesn't matter. Your nymph friend would also agree, it's part of our contract after all."

"Why don't we just share the bed? It's not like we're doing anything wrong?" Ruby suggested.

"But it's improper for a man and a woman to share a bed before marriage and you're father would surely have my head if he learns of this."

"It's okay, I won't tell dad. Your well-being is also important, you're my protector after all. How can you protect me from demons if you're not well?"

"You're really stubborn or you just want to feel my muscles in your sleep. Fine, we'll share a bed." Alucard sighed.

A knock broke the conversation of the two and the innkeeper came in after being welcomed with a pulley filled with mouth-watering dishes. She laid the food on a table and left after receiving no further instructions from the two. The two ate and Ruby made Alucard narrate to her his adventures as well as the places to see in the empire. The girl thoroughly enjoyed his tales and smiled all the way as he talked.

Alucard also asked Ruby about the Dark Forest and the things she's been doing for these past few years she's been there. Alucard discovered that the girl had been keeping the monsters in line as well as help the people who accidentally stumble upon the woods. That is if they aren't dead already. Alucard asked how the monsters don't go out of the forests and attack the other places and Ruby told him that the fog surrounding the forest is created by Lapis Lazuli to keep the monsters in and prevent demons from entering and capturing the monsters to use them to their advantage and wreak havoc upon the land of dawn.

When the two finished eating, Ruby took a bath with Zwei while Alucard busied himself with writing a letter to inform Ruby's father that they were coming home.

After he finished writing he took a black egg from his bag and twisted it sideways. The egg transformed into a raven black as the night and released a squawk while fluttering its wings. The bird tilted its head as he holstered the parchment in its feet.

"Send this to Lord Charles in the Rose Mansion." He ordered. He brought the bird near the window and allowed it to spread its wings and fly to its destination. He watched it ascend to the black night sky and towards the horizon like it was going to the moon.

"Alucard we're done." He heard Ruby said as she emerged from the bathroom with a cleaner Zwei who was happy that the bath was finally over.

"Sure. Go ahead and sleep. You need all the energy for tomorrow. We're still far from the Empire and it might also help you grow a few more inches if you get more sleep." He said before taking a clean towel and entering the bath.

"I don't need help to grow up, I drink milk." Ruby said glaring at him.

"Whatever you say, Ru."

A few moments later. Alucard came out of the bath only wearing blue braies with a towel draped on his shoulder. The water from his hair dripped down his back and traced the lines of his muscles as if admiring his well-built stature.

His pale skin glinted like ivory under sunlight as the light of the lamps shone down on his body. He scanned the room for Ruby's little form and saw her sleeping soundly on a sofa she covered with a blanket while her hands held her sniper-scythe as well as a cloth. She must've fallen asleep while cleaning her weapon.

Alucard sighed. He took her weapon and placed it on top of the table before placing his arms under her neck and knees and hoisting her up to bring her to the bed. He gently laid her down on the soft mattress and covering her tiny form with the blanket. He went to turn the lights off before joining her in bed with his back turned to her and grabbing a blanket for himself. He closed his eyes to fall in the arms of peaceful slumber to prepare for the journey of tomorrow.

Twenty minutes later and he can't still sleep while his companion is cutely snoring softly beside him. He started hearing Ruby mumble in her sleep that's why he turned round to observe her better.

"Who are you? You look so pretty. . ."

"Lu... Nox... That's a nice name."

"I'm Ruby, not Autumn. I'm not Spring either. I'm just Ruby, like the gem." Ruby mumbled in her sleep as a lock of hair fell on her face. Alucard lifted his hand to swipe it away however Ruby suddenly grabbed his index finger and brought it to her chest.

"Why don't you stay with me?" Alucard looked at her face and discovered that she was still asleep. A smile made its way to his lips.

"You've grown so much since the last time. But you still look like a small bundle of the Spring."

Flashback

Alucard can still remember the day when his parents brought him to Lord Charles's mansion to meet his firstborn daughter. Alucard doesn't really want to meet the kid but he went anyway because of his mother's persistence. He was walking the hallways trying to look for something that might entertain him but found nothing that suited his interest.

He suddenly came across an open door where he heard a soft wailing. The sound instantly caught his attention and he entered the room to find a richly made crib where a small baby is crying. The small baby wore a cute white dress and a frilly red hairband decorated her golden hair. He doesn't know why she was crying but he wants her to stop. Is she hungry? Did she poo her diapers? Or is she sleepy?

Alucard looked around for the girl's mommy or her attendants but found no one but him and her so he carefully went near her crib and started rocking it gently. "Hello, baby. Why are you crying?" he asked her.

The girl suddenly stopped crying and smiled up at him, her bright emerald eyes shining like a true gem. She released a cute giggle which brought butterflies to the boy's stomach at her cuteness. She raised her chubby arms trying to reach for him as she spoke in her incomprehensible baby language as if beckoning for him to come closer. He lowered his hand to poke her cheek but the baby grabbed it midair and hugged it to her chest.

"Gooo goo gaa yaaa, chaaaaa!" she said to him with a smile.

"I don't understand what you're saying but I guess hello to you too."

"Aww, you're so cute. You look like a tiny bundle of spring, like a cheerful little rose."

"Nnnyaaaaaa!" the baby blinked at him with a clueless smile. So innocent.

"I'm Alucard by the way. A- lu- card. What's your name?"

"Ahh-nuh-cad."

"Hey, you just said my name!" Alucard gaped and smiled at the babe. The tiny girl clapped her hands and laughed cutely.

"My daughter seems to like you." He heard a beautiful feminine voice spoke from behind him. He turned around to see a beautiful golden-haired woman with a darker shade of emerald eyes. Her long golden hair was led down and the rays of the sun passing through the window gave her an ethereal look.

She wore an elegant royal blue gown with golden accents and Alucard blushed as the gown exposed her blessed bosom. She placed the bloody sword she was holding against the wall before wiping her hands with clean wipes and sanitizing them with alcohol. She has the beauty of a queen but the stride of a king as she approached them. She gingerly lifted the babe form the crib and kissed her head. The child giggled and clasped her mother's face with her chubby hands.

"Mommy. Mommy." She mumbled.

"Sorry, darling. Mommy just had to deal with some pesky shadow demons that want to take you away but it's okay now, mommy took care of them." Alucard looked at the bloody sword before gulping in fear.

"And who might you be?" she asked him.

"Uhm, hello. You must be Lord Charles's wife. I'm Alucard Vladimir by the way." Alucard held his hand out for a handshake but the woman giggled in amusement before shaking his hand.

"I'm Altria Pend-, no I'm Altria Rose. Sorry, I'm still getting used to the new name of a married woman. And this little bundle of spring here," she quoted him gesturing to the child. "Is my greatest treasure, Ruby." The child seemed to perk up at the mention of her name and she looked at Alucard reaching out to him as if wanting to hold him in her tiny hands.

"She really likes you. Do you want to hold her?" Alucard only nodded before carefully taking the girl in his own arms.

"Hello, Ruby." The little girl held his face and started nibbling his cheeks, her toothless gums tickling his skin and he giggled in amusement.

That was the first and the last time he saw her. A few months after that was the tragic death of his parents because of Tigreal's hesitation to kill a demon and his tumultuous months under the tortures of the demons before being rescued by Charles and adopted by the Temple of Light to be raised as the demon hunter he is today. Never had he thought that he'd see her again after all those years and she's finally grown now.

End of Flashback

"I never thought that we'd be so similar." He mumbled before falling to sleep with the girl in his arms. Ruby snuggled closer to the man wanting to feel his warmth as she dreamed of a foreign woman with blonde hair with a streak of black calling her Spring.

A/N: Yeaah this is the last thing I have for this book currently. It will be difficult for me to publish new chapters in my other books bec. school is starting and I have less time to write, play and watch but I would like to expand my books and finish them all especially How to Unsummom a Demon Prince.