Born in Blood

A luxurious carriage drawn by a domesticated horse-type magical beast made its way through the streets of Ucladd. The exterior of the vehicle was pure black, made from a mix of gleaming black metal and wood.

Any peasant witnessing the car go by would make a respectful gesture, hectically making way for it.

Eventually, the carriage reached a giant, stern wall, guarded by armored soldiers wielding various weapons.

"Halt!"

The coachman holding the reins stopped at the entrance, approached by a tall guard.

"Family name?" The guard asked rudely, his impatient face scrunched.

The coachman took out a golden token and flashed it towards the soldier.

Instantly, the guard regretted his loud voice. He lowered his gaze and spoke with a soft tone.

"My apologies, sir. Please enter."

With indifference, the coachman slapped the reins on his beast, and the ride resumed, entering the wealthy side.

Inside the posh interior of the carriage, a young man donning a black robe gazed out the window. His short blonde hair was slicked backwards, and his tranquil green eyes were in deep thought.

Three golden earrings that looked like teardrops hung from his right ear. If anyone had seen this young man, they would've realized he was from a large-sized noble family.

Liam didn't dare train the night before the mission, resting his body to reach peak condition.

He had already told Eve he'd be late that night, and had filled his body with as much 'Ora' as he could.

The scenery past the open doors wasn't what Liam expected.

Snow covered topiaries that were tended to and skillfully designed covered the sides of the road.

There was only plain snow in the distance, and straight ahead, was what looked to be a large border wall that had a slight curve.

Eventually, the carriage reached it, allowing Liam to see how the entire border walls contained intricate black lines, among which rested white, and even multi-colored writings.

The border walls sunk downwards to the ground to let the carriage in, and inside was something Liam had expected to see.

It began with small luxury houses and other establishments, slowly growing in size as they went along.

Eventually, huge mansions covered entire plots of lush green land, along with other three story to four story buildings.

Nonetheless, he had enough information to know about what to expect.

The roads were wide enough for three to four more large-sized carriages to traverse through side by side; which there were, most seemingly going in the same direction.

The rhythmic sound of hooves hitting the ground continued for a few more minutes, allowing Liam to truly memorize the landscapes.

Finally, it came to a stop.

Looking out the window, there were numerous other carriages like his, all 'parked' on the side of a huge white mansion three stories in height.

In front, by the grand entrance, butlers and other servants tended to the nobles and paid deep respects to them before they entered. Red carpets covered the floor where they walked, and the faint sound of music entered Liam's ears.

Heaving a deep breath, Liam opened his carriage door like many others, walking out with a charismatic aura.

However, his gait was prideful and arrogant.

'I can't think like I usually do. I'm an arrogant noble who hails from a large-sized noble house.'

Snow drizzled from above, and with vigilant steps, Liam approached the butlers who confirmed the identities of each noble.

"Welcome, young master. May I have your name, please?"

Liam scoffed, as though offended by that question.

"William Arnos."

The pale-faced butler panicked, looking at the clipboard in his hand, before ticking it after a moment.

"P-please enjoy your stay."

Liam spared no time and made his way through the doors of the mansion, entering and surveying the surroundings.

All around him, lavishly dressed men and women danced, laughed, joked and sang.

Beautiful women wearing dazzling dresses of various colors socialized with each other. Even young maidens slightly older than Liam's age were no exception.

However, most of them had one golden earring, while few had two.

Butlers and maids carried trays of champagne, casually handing them around.

The ground floor of the mansion was nothing short of a five-star hotel. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling and illuminated every corner of the space.

Musicians performed in the left side corner, their music consisting of piano and violin, as well as other posh instruments meant for only the higher class.

Expensive furniture and other decorations covered the entire area, and towards Liam's left and right, were long hallways that lead to upper floors. The smell of various perfumes entered his nose, the best he had smelled during his two lives.

When the nobles saw Liam's earrings, they quickly showed him their deep respects.

'So, this is what it's like to be rich... I already know the layout, I'll need to disable any protective arrays or inscriptions."

Liam's nerves were calm and focused as he remembered what he learned.

Array's, also known as formations, were giant diagrams that produced various effects in a wide range. It was no surprise that noble houses had their own way of security.

'The number of cultivator's here are not that many. Despite being so lavish, these nobles are only small-sized families, not to mention this is a weak branch of it, so they didn't come with many guards or protections.'

Liam's expression was casual with a tinge of arrogance, but time was ticking, and the stakes were high.

'I can't loiter around. I'll wait for the party address, first.'

Liam inspected his surroundings once more. He quickly realized he was being sized up and down by a group of young girls his age, whispering in each other's ears.

To deter them, he simply had to put on a disgusted expression paired with a quick scoff.

His plan worked, as they looked utterly offended and shot stares of venom his direction.

Ting! Ting! Ting!

Before long, the sound of a spoon hitting a champagne glass resounded through the space, catching the attention of everyone present.

'There he is.'