The chirping birds marked the beginning of a long day for one undead. Not that the span of the day was different, but riding a horse for a day didn’t sound enticing to me. Adding to the existing misery, the journey to the border would take about three days, which meant more work and less idling. And less bread.

We stood before the stables of our manor, rundown from the first look but enough to last for a few more years. Sturdy wooden beams supported the thatched roof that housed about ten horses. Vines crept along the cobblestone walls, and the arched entryway invited all and sundry without any disregard for one undead. The horses inside begged to differ, though.

 The first thing Letitia had bought with her hard-earned income was her mare. The journey to Port Achlon had left a deep impression on her, and so did the mare whose courage befitted the villainess’s mount. Despite this, Letitia waited to ride with me.

After much coercion, she had decided to take the mare on our journey to the border. The comfort mattered to me over some cuddling on horseback, which was not ideal for the horse either. So, here it was, my lady’s mare, standing before me in all glory, snorting at every other opportunity at me and my horse. The mare had let me ride her to Port Acholn a few years ago, but it didn’t seem to be the case anymore. It had grown unruly, unlike Letitia, who had mellowed down over the past couple of years.

Letitia nuzzled against her mare, who gladly returned the favor, pushing me away with its muzzle. 

“There there,” Letitia giggled. “He’s my man,” Letitia pecked my cheeks, and I watched the mare snort in return.

I sighed. My horse was already shivering just by standing beside me, but this mare was more than ready to fight me to death for Letitia’s favor.

“Bread lad!” Garlan waved at me from the direction of our manor. “Never thought you’d already be ready. Letitia sure doesn’t take all the time in the world to dress up now, does she?”

I watched him walk across the neatly trimmed lawn and the cobblestone path. He had just stuffed himself with food in the last few years thanks to passive income from our house and almost doubled in size.

“Garlan,” my lady’s eyes narrowed. “I warrant respect from you. Just because you are Rudolf’s friend doesn’t mean you can ignore my statu-”

“There there,” he grinned and rubbed her head. She slapped his hand away and glared at him. “So, what’s with this urgent request, bread lad? Just when I thought I’d drink myself to death yesterday, I got your message.” He moved closer to me and whispered, “Did she hurt her head? Only stupid people would rush to the middle of the battlefield and jump to their death.”

I sighed. “Don’t take me down with you, bread lad.”

Letitia looked between the two of us before she dragged me behind her. “Don’t spoil Rudolf. You are beyond help already, but that doesn’t mean you can stain everyone else.”

Garlan laughed and patted his belly. “As long as you feed me, I will leave Rudolf alone, Lettita.”

Letitia shook her head and looked at me, helpless. “I still can't believe a man of this caliber is your friend, Rudolf.”

“Neither can I, my lady,” I laughed. “But bread makes no distinction between the rich and the poor, shameless and those with honor, treacherous and loyal, Garlan and Rudolf.”

“Spoken like a true man, bread lad!” Garlan wrapped his hand around my shoulder and pulled me in a hug. “I knew you would always grow up to become a fine man and honor me for teaching you the ways of the world.”

Letitia sighed and got on her mare. I stood beside her just in case, but she didn't need any help. 

“Stop being tardy, you bread fanatics,” Letitia said and pulled the reins of her horse. Her cloak fluttered as the mare caught up speed and galloped toward the manor gates.

“Shall we?” Garlan asked, already walking inside the stables to pick up his ride. I waited in silence, watching my lady disappear toward the manor entrance.

“Reminds me of our last trip together,” he said, walking out with his huge brown horse. His eyes were smiling as he looked at the silhouette of Letitia in the distance. “Can’t believe she grew up so fast.”

“Neither can I,” I smiled, caressing my horse before getting on the saddle.

“Watching her grow up is probably the most miserable thing I've done in my life,” Garlan rubbed his nose with his finger, “so I can't stop myself from leeching off your manor. I need compensation for all the past abuse, you see.”

I laughed. “Honest to your desires like ever.”

“Honesty is the best bread,” Garlan grinned as he rushed forth with his horse and stopped. “But, bread lad,” he didn't look back. “I'm glad to have met you and your crew.”

My hands loosened on the reins as I saw him smile at me. “So you better not die before me.”

I smiled helplessly and followed Garlan. Mortals cursed my existence throughout many epochs, but here I was, getting solace from the very mortals that I once deemed disposable and worthless. Perhaps, if only I had met them at the beginning, the kid in my dreams would have been smiling.

Alas, it was too late for me. But, somehow, I couldn't stop the elation trying to purge the eternal solitude deep in me.

–

Our horses trotted through the empty streets in the wee hours. The market plaza was devoid of customers, but the shops were opening one by one. Some recognized Garlan and waved at him merrily, while others snarled at him. Despite being famous for her confectionery, Letitia was unrecognizable in her attire. A bright smile was plastered across her face as she moved her head from one to the other, taking in everything her eyes could.

When we reached the gates, the guards didn't ask any questions and just bowed before opening the portcullis. Usually, these guards weren’t bothered about what went outside through the gates of the capital and just indulged in their gambling and drinking without an ounce of worry for the fate of the kingdom. Alas, those days were no more because every lax guard accounted for the deaths of pitiful mortals elsewhere. Not that I cared, but it appeared like these guards did.

We traveled through the cobblestone road until it divulged into the muddy track interspaced with grass. At times, gnarled roots snaked across the path, interrupted by puddles filled with rainwater. The road grew narrower, and open grassland became sparse as we reached closer to the woods. Dense underbrush and overhanging branches flanked us on either side, which dimmed the mild morning sun. Wildflowers peeked through some foliage, adding color to this undead's monochrome world. And so did Letitia, in her own way.

We traveled the entire afternoon, indulging in idle chatter at times but in silence most of the time. I cast [Heal] on the horses to maintain their vitality should we encounter trouble in the Besuck Woods. Nothing happened much to my dismay, and it was another uneventful, miserable journey through the backwaters of River Mead. 

The woods had grown much calmer since the summoning of the dragon, and the fauna had flourished since the dragon was kicked out of the heat cave. We didn’t stay in the woods till evenfall and decided to travel through the main roads the rest of the way to the borders. This meant taking a longer route through Kalith before reaching Coln. Letitia was on board with this idea since she didn’t really enjoy camping in the open without a roof over her head.

“That’s where we sleep the night,” Garlan glanced at his map and pointed to the the inn before us. It was old and dilapidated, ready to fall down any passing second. The vines were the least of my worries when the roof had holes wide enough for a mortal to jump in. But Letitia was already on her way to the stable beside the inn, her face downcast, the tiredness evident on her face. 

I ruffled her hair, and she gave me a weak smile as she handed the reins to me. 

“Bread lad,” Garlan patted my back and motioned for me to go ahead with a grin, already showing me his palm. “Only fake friends help each other without expecting anything in return.”

I sighed and dropped some shins in his hands before following my lady.

“Letitia,” I climbed the stairs to the inn beside her. “Are you all right?”

“Just exhausted, my undead,” she said and held my hand. It was warmer than usual. I checked her forehead just in case; it didn’t take one undead to know that she had a fever. The worst thing? I cast [Heal] on her, but the violent surge of her mana entirely rendered my spell useless. 

[Heal] worked by manipulating the mana circulation, thereby improving the natural regeneration rate of mortals, irrespective of whether they knew how to control the mana circulation. But here, my lady’s circulation was completely disrupted, so my spell didn’t work the wonders it usually did.

“What were you casting last night, my lady?” I asked, opening the door before us. It creaked louder than my voice, and I instinctively stepped before her.

“Letitia,” my lady sighed and continued, “This is the second time you called me that this month.”

“That isn’t important right now,” I shook my head and checked her pulse, trying to gauge the mana circulation. 

“It is important for me,” she stared at me, aggrieved. “Why can’t you-”

“What were you casting last night, Letitia?” I asked again, my voice slightly high. I was surprised myself, but I just saw Letitia smile.

“Now, now. This is the first time I’ve seen you raise your voice,” Letitia said, dodging the question again. She sighed when she saw my face and continued, “I destroyed my mana conduits.”

“Oh well,” I ruffled her hair and flicked her forehead. “And here I thought you did something irreversible.”

“Eh?” She stared at me, eyes wide open.

“They will recover in a couple of days,” I said, walking toward the rundown counter. The air was thick with the smell of ale and smoke, but no one was at the scattered tables around the ground floor. “But you won’t be able to assimilate any mana till they recover, so you are at my mercy, noble lady.”

“I would rather wish I was at your mercy forever,” she winked at me and took a seat on the empty table close by. 

I coughed as I noticed the old lady at the counter staring at me intently. “Room for two, ey?”

“Two rooms for three,” I corrected her, and the door creaked open at the same time.

“I can smell Ale,” Garlan shouted with a big grin and sat at Letitia’s table. “Fresh, isn’t it? Ale maketh Garlan, so bring it on, old one!”

“Friend of you?” The old lady asked, scratching the wound on her hand. “Tell him my Ale can take down a bull.”

“Doesn’t he seem bigger to you?” I asked with a shrug. 

The old lady stared at Garlan for a while before she showed her rotting teeth. “That it is. Met my match today, ey?”

“You gotta see for yourself,” I said, pushing some shins on the dingy counter before us. “Horse get stolen around here?”

“Rarely,” The old lady took 80 shins and returned the rest. “Mostly just wild boards scaring the poor animals at night. Ne’er got stolen from here for a while. Doesn’t hurt being safe now, ey?”

“How much?” I raised my eye.

“Add another 50, and I will stand guard,” she said, pointing at the room beside the counter. “That’s the room with Ale. No one serves the guests here. You take, you pay. You steal, I come hunting for you. This old one can cast a spell or two.”

The door opened again, and a few brawny men stepped inside, loud laughter disturbing my lady’s peaceful rest. She glared at them in annoyance before motioning me to hasten my talks with this mysterious old lady. 

“Take her up before they see that she’s a woman,” the old lady said. “Men like them took me for a ride when I was younger. Nothing fond to remember about the old days because of these pathetic excuses for humans.”

I nodded and paid the dues before taking the stairs with my lady. Garlan followed us to the stairs, and I handed him the key to his room. They creaked as we climbed up, which noticeably pulled the attention of the boisterous men, but they didn’t make things difficult for themselves today.

“I’ll get you some food,” Garlan said, rubbing Letitia’s head. She slapped his hand away despite her weak mien and glared at him.

“Stop doing it, or I’ll cut your hand one day, Garlan,” she said, moving closer to me.

“I know you are all talk, Letitia,” he laughed and walked with us till we reached the door to our room. “I need you alive and kicking if I want to tease you, so you should recover as soon as possible.”

She didn’t bother replying and just went inside the room. The entire floor was decked with decaying wood, so it didn’t seem like the door would last a few clouts. The locks didn’t really make sense.

“Bread lad,” Garlan pointed at the ground, “I saw them eyeing the horses just before I walked in.”

“Already paid the landlord fee for protection,” I said. “Can’t have some weird mortals troubling my sleep.”

“You think she’s anything special?” Garlan asked, running his fingers through his hair. “Just seems like another harmless old hag to me.”

“Stronger than you, for sure,” I said, patting his shoulder. “Just get something light to eat for Letitia. If you don’t mind, make some soup. You can just use the kitchen.”

Garlan nodded. “[Heal] doesn’t work?”

“She messed up her circulation,” I sighed. 

“One problem after another. I can’t begin to fathom what you would do without me, bead lad,” he patted my shoulder in return and went ahead to join the boisterous crowd below.

Well, that was one thing I couldn’t deny. Without my bread lad, no one in this world would resonate with my obsession with bread.