Chapter 39

"Ugh, why does he get to ride a shadow horse and I don't?" exclaimed Lennix, sounding very annoyed as he pointed at Elanor, who was riding on the same horse as the black knight. They were back on the move again, and Lennix was still not riding a shadow horse, which frankly put him in a foul mood.

"His friends just died, man. Also, he's been traveling for a while now and can get tired, unlike you," said the black knight, attempting to reason with Lennix.

"Master Lennix, if you truly want to ride one of these horses, then there is space available on the one she's riding," Clarissa suggested, motioning towards Karin, who was the only one riding a shadow horse alone.

"I'd rather walk on my hands than ride with her," Lennix retorted, earning a muttered response from Karin, "I'd rather all of you burn to death than be anywhere near me."

Meanwhile, Mari, after hearing what Lennix said, looked confused. "Why would you walk on your hands, Uncle Lennix? Is riding with Mommy that bad?" she innocently asked.

Clarissa patted Mari's head and spoke in the softest voice her emotionless self could muster. "Do not forget, Mari, your mother is still under a curse, so riding with her is still dangerous," she said, maintaining the lie they all told Mari.

Mari nodded slightly, her expression reflecting a hint of sadness. "I didn't forget," she muttered softly while absently petting the mane of the shadow horse. The horse nuzzled against her hand, attempting to cheer her up.

"I swear, sometimes it feels like these things are alive," remarked Lennix, gazing at the horse with intrigue. "Are they not? I thought these were summons," Elanor asked, glancing down at the horse he rode.

"Well, they kind of are? They're similar to automatons. I can program certain behaviors into them, but I create them with shadow magic rather than summoning them," the black knight explained.

"So, you use shadow magic. That's rare, isn't it?" Elanor asked, displaying interest. The black knight nodded in confirmation. "It is one of the rarer affinities. I don't think I've ever seen anyone else with the shadow affinity in my lifetime," he admitted. Elanor rubbed his chin, contemplating aloud, "Now, if I see gravity and time, then I've seen all of the rare affinities."

"Wait, you've seen someone with the light affinity? Was it one of the mercenaries?" Lennix asked with curiosity. Elanor shook his head in response. "No, there's someone in my village who uses it, and she's really good with it... I think. I don't really understand how magic works, though," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin.

"That's cool, I can also use a bit of light magic," Lennix remarked, looking at his hand with a grin. However, the black knight swiftly corrected him, "Just because you're sun-touched doesn't mean you can use light magic. It just means you have a connection to the sun, making you stronger during the daytime and nothing more." Lennix sighed in annoyance. "Did you seriously have to tell me that, mate?" He was happy with his previous ignorance.

"Is that the reason why you can walk in sunlight? Because I have been wondering about that," Elanor asked, seeking clarification. Lennix nodded in confirmation. "Yup, if it weren't for that, I'd probably burn up in the sun like most vampires," he explained matter-of-factly, prompting the black knight to shake his head. "Not every type of vampire burns up in the sun. While it is rare, there are those that are immune without being sun-touched," he added, providing additional information on vampires.

"There are?" Lennix asked, dumbfounded by this. "One of the first things we learn as monster hunters is that every monster has variations, no matter what it is, and that we must be ready to face each variation," the black knight explained, wagging his finger to emphasize the point.

"I assume Master Lennix is a very rare variation of vampire, given his intelligence," Clarissa remarked, causing Lennix to feel a metaphorical arrow strike his undead heart. "It's sad that I can't even deny that!" Lennix exclaimed, while Mari laughed at their banter, which cheered her up.

"Don't worry, unless it's a newborn baby, I doubt any vampire will be on Lennix's level in terms of intellect," the black knight added, joining in on the lighthearted teasing.

"You must be a pretty experienced monster hunter, right?" Elanor asked the black knight, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. The black knight hesitated for a moment before responding, "I guess I am. Why do you ask?" Elanor's eyes sparkled with anticipation as he replied, "Then you must have some amazing stories to tell."

The black knight scratched the side of his helmet, contemplating his response. "I do, but..." he trailed off, leaning in to whisper, "I can't really tell them with Mari being here. All of them are pretty explicit." Elanor's expression shifted to disappointment, but he understood that sharing stories about actual monster hunting might not be suitable for an 8-year-old.

"Okay, then, how about you tell us about the different types of monsters you've fought?" Lennix asked unexpectedly. "Why do you want to know?" asked the black knight, confused. Lennix shrugged his shoulders. "Just to pass the time. It's not like we have anything else to do other than walk," he said, gesturing at their current situation.

The black knight also shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, then, what monster do you want to hear about?" he asked. Lennix paused for a moment, considering, before saying, "Nothing's really coming to mind, so you pick," and then pointing at Elanor. Elanor, sounding excited, requested, "Oh, how about lycans? I always wondered how they differed from werewolves."

Lennix agreed with him, saying, "That sounds good. Tell us about lycans then." The black knight nodded before clearing his throat. "Okay, then, lycans it is. Now, where to begin...?"