After wrapping up her connections at the academy, I headed not home but to the back alleys.

It was to gather blood before embarking on a long journey.

Once I set off on my journey, opportunities to eat would drastically decrease, so I needed to eat while I could.

I also packed several glass bottles to store the blood. These were specially enchanted bottles that would preserve the quality for a long time once filled.

They were expensive, but what did it matter? I was about to leave the Empire, and I wouldn't need them anymore. I still had plenty of money I received from the slave trader.

So, who would be the source of the blood to fill those bottles?

The Empire was a place where the knights often patrolled, so I generally avoided civilians. Usually, the targets tended to be the criminals who frequently hung around in the back alleys.