Pyra 25, Imperial Year 1645
Newhope – The Secluded Workshop
Behind the granary, past the woodpile and the old chicken coop, stood a small shed. It had been a storage room once, but now it was a workshop. Inside, two gnomes and a dwarf had been living in seclusion for weeks, emerging only for meals and more nails.
Kaito – Alaric Mossfoot – held up a copper pipe. "The pressure's still leaking."
Daiki – Pippin Shortstep – squinted at the joint. "Solder it again."
"I've soldered it three times."
"Then do it a fourth."
Torvin Copperkettle, the dwarf brewer, wiped his hands on his apron. "If this thing doesn't work by sundown, I'm going back to stomping grapes with my feet."
"Feet are unsanitary," Kaito said.
"Feet are traditional."
"Tradition is slow."
Daiki adjusted a gear. "Try the lever now."
Kaito pulled. The press groaned. A trickle of dark red liquid dripped into the clay jar.
"It's working," Daiki whispered.
"Don't jinx it."
The press groaned again. The trickle became a stream. The jar filled.
Torvin picked it up, sniffed. "Not bad. Needs aging, but not bad."
The door opened.
The Workshop – The Visitors
Elara stepped inside. Behind her came Roderick, then Vlad.
"We heard noise," Elara said.
"Success," Kaito said, holding up the jar. "Wine. Machine‑made."
"It's not machine‑made," Daiki corrected. "It's mechanism‑assisted."
"Same thing."
Elara stepped closer, examined the press. Copper pipes, wooden gears, a cast‑iron screw. "You built this?"
"We've been working on it for weeks," Torvin said. "The problem is the seal. We finally got it right."
Kaito looked past Elara. His eyes landed on Vlad, who stood in the doorway. His eyes widened. He elbowed Daiki.
"What?" Daiki said.
"Look."
Daiki looked. His mouth opened. "Whoa."
"Right?"
"He looks like…"
"I know."
"From the old…"
"Shh."
Roderick crossed his arms. "What are you two whispering about?"
Kaito pointed at Vlad. "He looks like Alucard."
"Who?" Roderick asked.
"You know. From the old… the vampire hunter."
Daiki nodded vigorously. "The one with the sword. And the hair. And the―"
"Shush," Roderick said.
"But―"
"Shush."
Kaito and Daiki fell silent, but they kept staring.
Vlad ignored them. "The wine. May I taste it?"
Torvin poured a small cup. Vlad sipped. "It's dry."
"It's supposed to be."
"It will sell."
Torvin grinned. "That's what I wanted to hear."
The Square – Gossip
The class girls had gathered at the well bench again. Elara, Celia, Miku, Hikari, Rosalind, Talia. And today, Vesper and Mira – the halfling survivor – had joined them, both looking healthier than before.
"You look good," Elara said to Vesper.
"I feel better. Aldric's been helping."
"And you?" she asked Mira.
Mira smiled. "The leg's still weak, but I can walk without the stick most days."
"Good."
The conversation drifted. Then Miku pointed.
"There he is."
Vlad walked across the square, heading toward the guest house. The girls watched.
"Same hair," Talia said.
"Same shoulders," Celia added.
"Same everything," Miku sighed.
Vesper tilted her head. "Who is that?"
"The blacksmith from Luminara," Rosalind said. "The one everyone's talking about."
"Oh." Vesper studied him. "I see why."
Mira squinted. "He's pretty, I guess."
"You guess?" Celia said.
"I'm not blind. I'm just not desperate."
Talia laughed. "She's got a point."
The girls chattered, voices low, laughter light. Vlad did not look their way.
"He never looks," Miku said.
"That's the worst part," Rosalind agreed. "He knows we're staring. He just doesn't care."
"Confidence," Hikari said.
"Arrogance."
"Same thing."
The Square – The Wine Tasting
That evening, Torvin brought the new wine to the square. Edmund Voss sat at the head of the long table, surrounded by the usual crowd.
Torvin poured a cup. "Your thoughts, Edmund."
Voss sipped. He swished. He swallowed.
"It's dry."
"That's the style."
"It's good." Voss set down the cup. "Sellable?"
"I think so."
"Then we sell it." Voss smiled. "We'll call it Newhope Red."
Torvin raised his cup. "To Newhope."
"To Newhope," the others echoed.
Kaito and Daiki sat at the far end, still stealing glances at Vlad.
"He's not looking," Daiki whispered.
"He never looks."
"That's what makes it worse."
Roderick leaned over. "I said shush."
"Sorry."
The Guest House – Night
Vlad sat on the porch, staring at the sea. Corvin joined him.
"The gnomes are still staring."
"I know."
"They compared you to someone called Alucard."
"I heard."
"Is that a compliment?"
Vlad was silent for a moment. "It's a reference."
"To what?"
"A story. About a vampire who hunted his own kind."
Corvin nodded slowly. "Do you hunt your own kind?"
"I hunt monsters."
"Same thing?"
"No." Vlad looked at the stars. "Monsters choose to be monsters."
They sat in silence.
Inside, the gnomes whispered about gears and copper pipes and the perfect seal.
Newhope slept.
End of Chapter Ninety‑Four