2 days later after Dariush started training.
In Dariush's mansion, it was chaos... kinda.
Maids and butlers were walking around the mansion with fast pace in every single direction and hall. They were also carrying things—some towels, bloody or sweaty cloths, or even clean ones; some were carrying meat or bowls of water or blood.
A butler who looked slightly old—but he was a demon butler—with red-white hair and red eyes, and a muscular body but not bulky, stood at a big double door shouting at others: "Next group!"
Then a group of maids, while carrying bowls of water and blood, and carrying clean towels and clothes, entered the room.
The room was the training ground, located in the deepest part of the mansion.
Inside the room, Dariush was hanging on a bar, doing pull-ups and shirtless. Sweat from his body and blood from his mouth were dripping from him; beneath him was a little puddle mixed with blood and sweat.
After each movement, Dariush grunted. His breathing was heavy yet steady. His body glistened with sweat.
He stopped doing pull-ups when the maids came in.
He landed on the ground with a thud, then walked to a nearby bench and sat on it. The maids did their job efficiently.
Some started to clean the puddle of sweat and blood, while others began taking care of Dariush.
Dariush started drinking the blood from the bowls. Meanwhile, the maids wet the towels slightly and began cleaning the blood and sweat from his body.
After a moment, when Dariush had drunk five bowls of blood and the maids' work was done, he said to them: "Thanks for everything. You girls can go and rest."
The maids' faces noticeably brightened, and they bowed deeply before leaving the room.
Dariush stood up and stretched his arms above his head, thinking to himself: Hmmm... I feel like they are looking at me again. (He meant me—the author—and you, the reader.)
He continued: "The blood you saw isn't normal blood. It's my useless blood. I am literally replacing it with new ones, because I found out my blood is one of the reasons why I am still weak. As a vampire, I need fresh blood in my body... always. Even though I don't like drinking blood... I have to anyway."
He walked over and attached some weights to his legs. Then he started jumping. With each jump, his muscles flexed and sweat dripped.
The same head butler, after one hour later, stood outside the training room and shouted: "Next group! Ready to go when I say!"
This time, butlers came, carrying the same things as the maids.
After a moment, Eira approached the head butler and said with slight worry in her expression: "Is Dariush still training?"
The butlers all bowed to her. The head butler said: "Yes, Duchess. He is still training... Sorry for saying it, but he is training like a greedy man... I am worried about him, even though I can only do what he orders."
Eira slightly frowned—not from his words, but because of Dariush's actions.
She entered the training room and saw Dariush covered in blood and sweat. Sweat dripped from his body, and blood dripped from his mouth; all the sweat and blood mixed together in a little puddle beneath him.
He was doing Bulgarian squats. His breathing was heavy and steady. His black hair was damp.
Eira hesitantly called out softly: "H-hey, Dariush... my dear."
Dariush turned his face sharply and, before he knew it, glared at her with a death gaze. His pink pupils glowed slightly at the same time, and he said: "Hmmm?"
Eira flinched under his gaze. Dariush finally caught himself, and his expression softened. He said softly: "Oh, it's you, Eira. Sorry if I scared you, my dear. I was really focused on training."
Eira swallowed her spit hard. Then she slowly approached him and said with hesitation and softly: "No, it's okay. I can see how passionate you are to be strong again... I am just worried about your health."
Dariush stopped working out. Then he removed the weights from his legs. He walked over to a nearby bench and said at the same time: "There's nothing to worry about, my dear. I am okay. This blood you're looking at is old blood. And now I am replacing it with new ones."
After a moment, the butlers came into the room. Some cleaned Dariush's body of sweat and blood, others gave him bowls of blood, and others cleaned the puddle of blood and sweat where he had been training.
After the butlers bowed and left the room, Eira said: "But you can't be this greedy. You might hurt yourself if you don't stop."
Dariush ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Then he said with mild defiance in his voice: "Others get motivation from different things. I get motivation and energy to move from greed. Yes, I am greedy, but I love it. And more importantly, 'If I stop here, I will regret it. My time is gold, and I will use it with maximum efficiency to get maximum output.'"
Eira seemed angry but couldn't find any words to match Dariush's logic. At the same time, Shira—the same firefighter captain—came into the room. Her light brown skin and long white hair made her look unique, especially her yellow eyes.
Shira said: "Milord, what is it that you wanted to see me about?"
Her gaze traveled over Dariush's body before looking directly into his eyes.
Dariush stood up. His 210cm tall height made his presence more commanding, even though he was acting calmly. Dariush, with a warm expression, said: "Good to see you here. And yes, there is something—actually two things. The first one is: did you find anything about that fire incident? And where is Cobra? I thought she would come with you."
Shira courteously yet with respect answered: "I didn't find anything... unfortunately. And Miss Cobra is in the darker alleys of Shiraz city, trying to find anything that can help us find the person behind that fire incident."
Dariush crossed his arms and nodded. Then after a moment, he said: "Good. Now the second thing. I want you to spread the rumor that 'Dariush is training to get stronger to protect the whole Farzad estate and Shiraz city.'"
Shira looked confused but nodded and said: "Yes, milord. As you wish."
She bowed and left the room.
Eira quickly asked: "Why do you want her to spread such a rumor?"
Dariush smirked and said: "Because I want to make people believe that I deserve their effort. They work for me, but still there are plenty of people who don't like me, even after that fire incident. I want to get maximum profit and efficiency, productivity from them—all of them. Then I will get more money, and more money gives me stronger political power in Nari = easier life / enemies who are scared of me. And besides... I have a lot of enemies because of my past mistakes."
At the same time he spoke, he was doing push-ups while standing on his hands.
Eira sighed softly and said: "I think I can't stop you from being this greedy. But at least promise you won't get into trouble."
Dariush looked at her. His expression was warm, and his gaze was loving: "I promise. I promise with everything I have. I swear on my life I won't get into trouble, and if I do... I will get help from you or others."
Eira chuckled softly and said with amusement and affection in her voice and gaze: "Then I will trust you, my dear Dariush."
What if: What if Dariush stopped? If he stopped training when Eira said... he would die horrifically in future events when he actually needed more power. And this would put him in a nearly endless loop of death until he got the best results he was looking for.