MIDNIGHT PRINCE: Empire of Sin



When Adam reached home, he was surprised to see that there was still some light coming from the living room.

'A bulgar?'

He immediately denied this. Not only was this neighbor rather secure but Cecilia had also placed many types of security against supernatural force from what she told him.

It was only after entering that he realized that it was Makarov.

"Oh, Adam. Been a while son, I thought you wouldn't come home tonight."

As always, Makarov was quite the imposing old man. Thick muscle, thick beards, a rough voice, and a rugged face.

No matter how one looked at it, he looked more like some biker gang member or some ex-convict.

Adam knew this was rather stereotypical but those existed for a reason after all.

"I am sorry. I have been pretty busy lately."

"Well, I can understand this. With you becoming a gold hunter so suddenly. You must already be crushed by the number of missions you can do."

Makarov finished assembling his sandwich and gave a look at Adam, "Want some? Ah whatever. I will make one for you."

He didn't even let Adam answer that he was already working on a sandwich, "I wanted to make something more filling but Cecilia is as slovenly as I remember. I am surprised there is even enough for a sandwich in this fridge."

Adam chuckled as he took place on the dinner table, "Mom isn't the one who fills the fridge. It's either me or Shuri."

"Hahaha. I am not surprised."

Makarov gave a boisterous laugh before finishing the simple preparation. It was nothing much and Adam wasn't particularly hungry. But he wasn't one to say no to good food.

"Where is Viktor?"

"I kicked him out of the house."

Adam, who was about to bite down on the sandwich, kept his mouth open wide at those startling words.

"Ah?"

Makarov shrugged, "I like the enthusiasm of the kid but I need him to rest a little more. Can't have him make the same mistake and live for years with no one to call a friend."

A laugh escaped his lips as he proceeded to explain how Viktor had received a call from a young woman he had met in the Park.

"It seems like she was a hunter and from the photo I saw, a very charming young woman. It would have been criminal to make him stay home."

'Damn… Is this how grandpas are nowadays? What about traditions and whatever?'

"Heh, I can see what you are thinking.'

Adam chuckled awkwardly, it was starting to look like everyone could see what he was thinking from his expressions alone.

Should he permanently keep an illusion over his face?

"I don't mind my grandson having some fun, you know? You can't really afford to be traditional and all when you don't know when you will die."

No humans knew when they would die. This was reality. But this was a reality that was far away from normal humans.

Meanwhile, for a hunter, death was like a debtor that constantly followed you,

"Every time we survive a mission, we increase our debt and sooner or later, the reaper comes to collect it. So I want him to have fun. To enjoy life and not just focus on work. Even if it's his passion. After all, I won't always be with him."

Makarov spoke off handely and started to bite on his sandwich with gusto. It was as if he had not just been talking about his impending death.

Adam looked down, his respect for the old man soaring. He wondered if he would have the same state of mind if he could actually die.

What did one feel knowing that the night they went to bed might be their last?

"You are strong."

"No. I am just old."

"I don't think many old people think like you."

Research about eternal youth was something that would never stop and the number of surgical operations some went through to keep an appearance of youth was sad in a certain way.

"They are just fools."

He shrugged, "I have seen what immortality could do, and trust me, it doesn't look good."

He finished the food and brought the plate to the sink, "I personally think that making us lose our immortality was the greatest gift Eve ever brought to us."

His voice was low, "Don't you find it interesting? A vampire isn't any more stupid than a human. In fact, I argue that they are much smarter and they have the advantage of time to gather knowledge. Despite this, we surpass them in technology."

"I believe there are two answers. One is that they don't need it. Why strive for science when you can have someone else do it for you? This is something that had been observed many times with how the dwarves keep getting enslaved in the past. But another reason is simply that they have too much time."

One of the greatest reasons behind human fast advancement was how short they live.

Humans wanted to leave a trace. To be remembered, to not simply die with nothing.

So they fought. They studied, thrived, and trudged in order to reach higher and higher. All this is because from the very moment they were born, humans were on a limited countdown.

But what kind of hurry could someone who could live hundreds of years feel? Why would someone who considered ten years as a simple nap and hundred years as a long sleep bother about lacking enough time to succeed?

"We may live in the same world, but our way of understanding time is so different. The result then speaks for themselves."

Makarov washed his hand and dried them before patting Adam on the back, "So enjoy your time boy. It may be limited but it will be wonderful and when the time finally comes for you, you will be able to face it calmly as it will be the end of a long but fulfilling journey."

On those words, the old man walked away back to his forge. He was waiting for a shipment and soon would try a new prototype.

Now alone, Adam finally started to eat in silence.

But he could barely taste the food.

After all, the time Makarov spoke about would never be a reality for him.

The sweet embrace of death would never be able to keep him for long as he would always come back.

'Well… I guess it isn't all bad.'

His perception of time was still very much human. He didn't know what he would become in the future, but at the very least, this was enough for him.

His phone started to buzz as he received a message.

Looking at the phone, a cold light flashed in his eyes.

Indeed. He was still very much human and he was not the kind of gentleman who would wait ten years to obtain his vengeance.

[Sender: Yui

Message: We are starting in earnest tomorrow. Start getting information from that woman.]

He closed his phone.

It was too bad for Hae-Won but it seemed like he would have to use her in earnest in order to further his goal.