Radu continues recounting the aftermath of the orphanage's destruction in Dampyr #20:

“I am glad. This castle of theatricality does not seem like a suitable place to raise children.”

“You have such a tender heart, little Sylvaine. But you forget that all children dream of living in a medieval castle, just like the apprentice wizards in Harry Potter. Isn't that right, Radu? I bet that for those poor orphans, this was paradise.”

“Hmm! All I know is that the castle burned down one tragic night. The orphans were all rescued safely by the local farmers. It was a true miracle, considering that Count Gabor Vlatna, owner of the manor and president of the orphanage, perished in the flames, along with all his assistants. Not a single adult was saved.”

“Really? Perhaps those heroic adults sacrificed their lives to save those of the children. Try to find out more about the circumstances of that night, Radu. If they are moving enough, we can write about them in the illustrated brochure.”

“Okay, you and Vance have convinced me, dear Radu. Now I agree that securing ownership of this castle was a clever move.”

“As an alternative, the government had proposed Poienari, one of Vlad Dracula's authentic castles, but it is located in an area subject to architectural constraints.”

“For goodness sake. And to remake this Vlatna castle, did you have to grease the pockets of a lot of politicians?”

“Oh, no! They were happy that the park company has taken on the entire cost of the restoration. You see, as I have already explained to Miss Sylvaine, this is not a fantasy reconstruction. Starting from a few blackened ruins, we have rebuilt the castle according to the original plans, which we possess, and this ancient scale model.”

“The original plans? Well, by Jove, I am not an expert on the subject, but, in the case of a medieval castle, it seems to me…”

“A rare piece of luck. You are right, Herr Brand.”

Count Vlatna was hardly a hero. He was one of the evil Masters of the Night. In this series, they often personify various social ills. Vlatna symbolized the cruelty of Romanian orphanages in the 1990s.

A minor art error: The stripes in the knot of a necktie go the opposite direction as the stripes of the tail hanging down. Radu's tie stripes incorrectly all go the same direction.

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