Threat of Honesty

The morning sunlight slowly crept in through Diana's window. Its warm glow fell directly on someone still asleep on the sofa.

Nathan.

Diana stepped out of her room quietly, letting out a small yawn as she stretched her arms. However, she stopped in her tracks when her eyes caught sight of Nathan, still sound asleep on the sofa, an open book resting on his lap.

Her lips curled into a small smile.

"That's kinda cute..." she murmured.

She never expected Nathan, who always seemed alert and tense, to sleep so soundly. He must have been truly exhausted.

Diana decided not to wake him.

Instead, she walked into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

As she started cooking, her eyes flicked to the cloak Nathan had worn the previous day. It looked dirty and covered in dust—probably from his long journey.

"It'd be a shame if he kept wearing it like this..." she muttered.

Without much thought, she decided to wash the cloak.

As she lifted it off the floor, her eyes inadvertently landed on a suitcase placed nearby.

A suitcase?

Diana frowned, curiosity sparking within her.

Was this Nathan's?

She knew she shouldn't be snooping through other people's belongings. But for some reason, something about that suitcase intrigued her.

She stole a glance at Nathan, who was still asleep.

"...Just a quick peek should be fine, right?"

Carefully, she opened the suitcase.

The moment it clicked open, her eyes widened.

Inside was a well-maintained revolver. Beside it lay several bullets, their shape slightly different from regular ones—not completely round, yet not quite pointed either, more like an oval.

Diana stared at the items, feeling a mix of emotions.

She never expected Nathan to be carrying a weapon like this.

Was this meant for fighting vampires? Or… was there another reason?

She swallowed hard.

Without another thought, she quickly shut the suitcase and put it back exactly as it was.

As if she had never seen its contents.

Hastily, she grabbed Nathan's cloak and took it to the back of the house to wash, trying to distract herself from what she had just discovered.

---

A while later, Nathan finally woke up.

As he opened his eyes, he blinked a few times before realizing something.

The book Nocturne was still on his lap.

He let out a soft sigh. Looked like he had fallen asleep while reading.

Turning toward the kitchen, he saw Diana busy preparing breakfast.

The scent of food filled the air, making his empty stomach grumble slightly.

"Morning," Nathan said as he stretched.

Diana turned to him with a smile. "Oh, you're up? Perfect timing, I'm making breakfast."

Nathan nodded and got up from the sofa, making his way to the dining table.

That was when he noticed something missing.

"Where's my cloak?" he asked, glancing around.

"Oh, I washed it," Diana replied casually. "It was really dirty. Don't worry, it'll be dry by this evening."

Nathan was slightly taken aback. "Oh… Thanks."

Diana just gave a small smile.

Once breakfast was ready, they sat down together at the table.

Nathan took his first bite and had to admit—Diana's cooking was good.

Halfway through the meal, Diana suddenly spoke up.

"Have you ever… used a revolver before?"

Nathan, in the middle of chewing, nearly choked.

Diana quickly added, "I mean… if you have one, that means you know how to use it, right?"

Nathan looked at her, slightly confused.

Why was she asking about that all of a sudden?

He shrugged. "Yeah, I know how to use it."

Diana nodded, pretending not to be too interested. "Oh… I was just curious."

Nathan frowned. Something about that question felt off.

"...You didn't see anything, did you?" he asked, his tone slightly suspicious.

Diana let out a nervous laugh. "No, no! I was just asking!"

Nathan eyed her for a moment before sighing and returning to his meal.

Diana silently exhaled in relief.

Even though she was curious about the revolver, she knew better than to ask too much.

For now.

As they continued their breakfast, the sound of a small radio on the kitchen counter suddenly grabbed their attention.

"Breaking news this morning! Nobles from all over the country have arrived in Blackbourne for the annual royal gathering. Main roads will be closed temporarily to ensure their safety. Citizens are advised to remain calm and follow the regulations in place."

Nathan, who had been relaxed until then, suddenly froze.

His spoon hung in the air, and his expression turned serious.

Diana noticed his sudden change in demeanor. "What's wrong?"

Nathan didn't answer right away. He was trying to recall something.

If he remembered correctly…

In this city.

One week after the nobles arrived…

The first vampire appeared.

His eyes widened.

Damn.

Diana's eyes widened in surprise when Nathan suddenly stood up. His chair nearly tipped over.

"Nathan?"

But he didn't respond. His mind was racing.

Should he warn the nobles? If they knew, maybe they could help protect the citizens.

Or…

What if the vampire came from them?

His hands clenched into fists.

"Hey, calm down," Diana stood up, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You look really panicked. Does this have something to do with that news?"

Nathan took a deep breath before exhaling slowly.

"Yeah," he said briefly. "I need to talk to the noble guards. They need to be prepared."

Diana still didn't fully understand, but she could see how serious Nathan looked.

"If it's that important… I'm coming with you."

Nathan nodded, and without wasting another second, he rushed out of the house, Diana following close behind.

---

They arrived at Blackbourne's main district, where the nobles gathered and the royal guards were stationed.

Nathan approached a group of guards standing in front of the main building.

"I need to speak with your commander," he said without hesitation.

One of the guards looked at him with a condescending smirk. "And you think we'll just let a random outsider in?"

Nathan exhaled sharply in frustration. "Listen, I don't have time to argue. This city is in danger! Vampires—"

"Vampires?" One of the guards laughed. "Are you serious? That's just a fairy tale for kids."

Nathan clenched his fists.

"I am serious! I know it sounds crazy, but you have to believe me!"

The guards exchanged glances before looking back at Nathan with amused expressions.

"You drunk or something?" one of them mocked.

Nathan's patience was wearing thin.

"Maybe you should leave before we consider you a threat," another guard said, his tone colder this time.

Nathan nearly lost his temper. His hands twitched, ready to push one of them aside.

But before things escalated, Diana quickly stepped between them.

"Sorry! He's just really worried!" she said, grabbing Nathan's arm.

Nathan gave her a frustrated look, but Diana shot him a glare that said, Don't make this worse.

The guards still looked skeptical.

"Don't cause trouble, kid. If you do, we won't hesitate to throw you in jail," one of them warned.

Nathan clenched his fists even tighter.

He wanted to yell. To call them fools for not believing him.

But he knew it wouldn't change anything.

Suppressing his anger, Nathan finally turned and walked away, Diana following with a long sigh.

After they had walked a fair distance, Nathan stopped and leaned against a stone wall, staring at the sky in frustration.

Diana looked at him with concern.

"So… what do we do now?" she asked softly.

Nathan closed his eyes.

He didn't know.

But he did know one thing—

They couldn't just sit around and wait for disaster to strike.

Nathan was still leaning against the stone wall, trying to steady his breath. Frustration still clouded his mind, while Diana stood beside him, looking equally confused.

Suddenly, approaching footsteps echoed.

Both of them instinctively turned.

A tall, imposing man stood before them.

He wore a white shirt beneath a black vest, his long black coat billowing slightly in the wind. A round hat rested atop his head, casting a shadow over part of his face. A cigarette burned slowly between his lips, its smoke drifting lazily in the air.

The man studied them, exhaling a thin stream of smoke before speaking.

"What did you do to those noble soldiers?"

His tone was calm. Casual. As if he was merely making conversation. Yet something in his gaze made Nathan's skin crawl.

Nathan frowned, still on high alert. "Who are you?"

The man didn't answer right away.

Instead, he took a step closer, scrutinizing Nathan with keen eyes before raising a thin brow.

"I heard something interesting," he said, his tone still light. "You were talking about… vampires?"

Diana stiffened. Nathan felt his heartbeat quicken.

"What's it to you?" Nathan asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

The man smiled. It was polite—but something lurked beneath it.

Then, before anyone could react—

—click!

In an instant, his expression turned serious.

And the barrel of his revolver was now pressed against Nathan's head.

Diana sucked in a sharp breath. Nathan's eyes widened.

It all happened so fast.

The friendly, relaxed demeanor had vanished—replaced by something cold and suffocating.

"What do you know about vampires?" The man's voice was now icy, filled with authority.

Diana froze. Her face turned pale. Her heart pounded as she stared at the gun so dangerously close to Nathan.

"N-Nathan…" her voice trembled.

Nathan swallowed hard. His fingers twitched slightly, but he forced himself to stay calm.

This man…

Who was he?

Why had he drawn his revolver so suddenly?

One thing was certain: he wasn't an ordinary person.

Nathan could feel the pressure in his gaze, the way he carried himself, the way he handled the weapon.

He knew how to kill.

And he wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger if necessary.

Nathan tried to gather his thoughts.

Option one: fight back? No. Too risky.

Option two: run? Impossible.

Option three…

Talk.

"I…" Nathan took a deep breath, suppressing his panic. "I know something."

The man didn't move, but his grip on the revolver tightened slightly.

"Go on."

Nathan exhaled slowly.

"Vampires will appear in this city. I know because—" He hesitated for a moment but then continued, "I've encountered them before."

The man studied Nathan's face carefully, as if searching for any sign of a lie.

Seconds passed—though they felt like an eternity—

And then, finally, the man lowered his revolver.

Diana let out a shaky breath, clutching her chest.

Nathan remained tense.

The man looked at them and smirked faintly. "Interesting."

He slid his revolver back into the holster at his waist.

"I had my suspicions… but if what you're saying is true…" He exhaled slowly. "Then this is worse than I thought."

Nathan stared at him, still reeling from what had just happened. "Who are you?"

The man took one last drag of his cigarette before flicking it to the ground and crushing it under his boot.

Then, with a faint smirk, he finally introduced himself.

"Rovan Graves."

Diana and Nathan exchanged glances.

The name… it was unfamiliar.

And yet, at the same time… it carried a sense of danger.