Battle energy erupted in the office as the Vampiric Axe was repelled a spinning through the air, following closely behind Charlot Meburg.

  To bee the warden of Kilmainham Prison, one might ck moral iy, but they could never be inpetent. Charlot was acutely aware of this. His earlier strike was merely inteo dey his oppo—he had no illusions about injuring the new warden.

  As the Vampiric Axe, repelled by the burst of battle energy, flew back toward him, Charlot casually caught it mid-air and recimed it. Instead of fleeing toward the prison gates, he turned sharply and dashed into his own offiot fetting his earlier procmation, he shouted repeatedly at the top of his lungs, "Warden Magru, you fet about f me to snder Miss Menielman!"

  Magruder was momentarily stunned. He khis first-css civil servant had some skills, but he had assumed that his level-seven battle energy would be enough to cleave Charlot in two. Instead, Charlot calmly regained trol of the on.

  What Magruder did not know was that Charlot had awakened one of the Thirteen Are Skills, the Bloodfme Aura, which allowed him to manipute vampiric ons from a distance. His apparent ease was not mere teique, but araordinary ability.

  Furious, Magruder roared, "Seize that traitor!"

  Charlot’s Blood Glory ability was only at its sed stage. Even with his two special skills—Eye of Insight and Bloodfme Aura—there was no way he could escape the heavily guarded Kilmainham Prison. However, his office had a rge window that overlooked the streets of the Marne District.

  The Marne District, one of the Outer Fifteen Districts, was a chaotid plex area. If Charlot could make it into the residential zone, he stood a fair ce of esg.

  Rushing into his office, Charlot didn’t hesitate for a moment. He leapt through the window, twisting mid-air in a series of rolls to reduce the impact. Though he nded awkwardly, he was unharmed.

  Charlot quickly scrambled to his feet, activated his Bloodfme Aura, and bolted. By the time a squad of prison guards emerged in pursuit, the former first-css civil servant had already vanished without a trace.

  Magruder’s expression darkened. He hadn’t anticipated that such a minor i would spiral out of trol so disastrously.

  Charlot’s shouted accusation would undoubtedly reach many ears. As the neointed warden, Magruder had yet to solidate his power over the entire prison force. There would surely be those who leaked this news.

  Although he was ag uhe orders of a powerful backer to iigate Miss Menielman, his scheming had been covert. Without evideno one could openly challenge him. However, if the situatioed publicly, it would force him into a direct flict with the Soumet family—something he dared not risk.

  Should this sdal break out, even his backer might refuse to shield him.

  In his office, Magruder smmed his desk in frustration. He could not fathom why Charlot had refused to promise, why he hadn’t eveated before ung such a ruthless terattack, throwing him directly onto the pyre.

  ging to a shred of hope, Magruder shouted, "Nobody is to speak of what happeoday! If I find out anyone spreads that statement, I’ll personally see you all rotting in prison!"

  Those nearby, however, had already drawn their clusions: "So the new warden really does pn to frame Miss Menielman."

  …

  Charlot escaped from Kilmainham Prison, hired a public carriage, and rushed to 58 Elysée Ave breakneck speed.

  This era cked telephones or works, and the mobilization of prison guards or city patrol guards was far from swift. He still had a slim ce.

  Panting heavily, Charlot burst into the house and rifled through the bedroom, retrieving a few deposit certificates from the Savings Union. Offending the new warde there was no doubt his assets at the union would be seized.

  Determined, Charlot resolved to flee for some time. Without mohat would be impossible.

  Fortunately, Charlot had been frugal retly. Aside from issioning a aff studded with dozens of silver stars, he hadn’t purchased aravagant items.

  Preparing for his escape, Charlot packed light: the deposit certificates, the Vampiric Axe, his diary, the aff, a few ges of clothes, and his trusty Magnum Mauler, a sedhand pistol reliable for self-defense.

  As Charlot prepared to leave, he heard otion outside.

  Decisively abandoning the front door, he darted into the yard, vaulted the wall, and plunged into the Lukavaro River.

  Moments ter, a squad of prison guards stormed 58 Elysée Aveheir heavy boots pounding against the floors as they began a search.

  Half an hour ter, Charlot climbed ashore at another spot along the river.

  Cheg his Savings Unioificates, he saw that although soaked, they were intact. Wasting no time, he wrung out his clothes and sprioward the Savings Union office.

  After pleting the necessary paperwork and withdrawing all his funds—593 écus, verted into New Flor currency—Charlot felt a great weight lift from his shoulders.

  With money in hand, escape no longer seemed as daunting.

  However, he khe 50-flor banknotes would attract attention if used indiscriminately. He exged 110 of them into smaller denominations: 40 notes of 10 flor each, and 30 notes of 1 flor. The remaining 43 écus he verted into smaller bills and s for daily use.

  Money in hand, Charlot felt a rare moment of hesitation. He had transmigrated to this world less than a month ago. His knowledge of the Old ti was limited, and the New ti was even more of a mystery, with little detail avaible even in the memories of his body’s previous owner.

  "I ’t go bay hometown—that’s where I’m most likely to be reized and exposed."

  "Maybe I should leave the Fars Empire altogether?"

  "Unbelievable. I thought transmigrating here would mean a cushy job, wealth, and even women chasing after me. I was expeg a leisurely, fulfilling life!"

  "How did it all e to this?"

  After some thought, Charlot decided to buy travel-appropriate clothes. His current thin-soled leather shoes were excellent for city life but unsuitable for wilderreks or long journeys. As for his clothing, he po switch to the Old ti’s popur hunting attire.

  Taking a deep breath, Charlot headed toward a tailor he didn’t know, only to spot two young men dressed in bck coats, faces cold and stern, their hands resting on the hilts of sheathed magical rapiers. They stood at opposite ends of the street, blog his path.

  Both exuded an air of lethality, the kind hohrough life-ah battles.