Ludmilla knew Edanant as a gentle yet astute person. He always displayed a humble demeanor. Occasionally, he would show a playful side, but there had never been any friction between them.
So, when she heard the shocking news that Edanant had barged into the clinic and had a fierce argument with Prince Erik, it struck her quite a blow. Edanant was never one to show hostility without a reason.
‘Prince Erik of Pug Kingdom is a scheming man who loves to flatter those in power. It’s no surprise Edanant would feel some resentment. I don’t like Erik either. But Edanant would be meeting him for the first time…’
She leaned against the wall, lost in thought. After a while of pondering, Ludmilla finally voiced her speculation.
“C-Could it be… jealousy?”
Could it be that he had heard about Erik sweet-talking? That’s clearly why he displayed animosity towards Erik.
Jealousy. Edanant felt jealous.
She recalled Edanant glaring fiercely at the prince of a doomed kingdom. This thought made Ludmilla grin like a foolish person.
“Edanant is supposed to be a rational and discerning person… for him to feel jealousy, does that mean he deeply cherishes me? Edanant truly is a hopeless romantic.”
Like a lark flapping its wings, Ludmilla’s shoulders shook non-stop. To be loved this much. She felt such elation that she almost shouted out loud.
While taking the train to the Imperial City, she nearly kissed him. And while waltzing on a lovely terrace, she almost did it again.
In fact, they could possibly be regarded as lovers, given that they hadn’t confessed yet. Edanant had ignited the pure heart of a maiden so fervently that it was only natural for him to take responsibility as a man.
“Is there something good happening, Lady Ludmilla?”
“Ahem. Does it look that way?”
“You’ve been smiling mischievously since the moment I entered the office.”
“It’s nothing.”
Zebeline, who entered the office, looked at Ludmilla with suspicion. Something must have happened, she squinted at Ludmilla, who tried to hide her amusement.
‘It’s shameful that I ever thought of the Holy Kingdom’s cunning Saintess as a rival. Edanant, with his unwavering heart, loves only me. Haha, this little brat can’t even hold a candle to me.’
She sneaked a side glance at the Saintess’s pitifully frail body with her flowing silver hair. Then she chuckled within, celebrating her victory in the battle for Edanant’s affections.
How ridiculous.
The Saintess never stood a chance from the start. What man would ever desire such a frail chest and backside? Unless he were a suspicious guy.
Ludmilla sincerely thanked her mother for passing down her perfect figure.
“May I boldly ask why you’re staring at my body all of a sudden?”
“Surely, you can’t think that.”
“You just scoffed at me a second ago.”
“That must have been a mistake on the Saintess’s part.”
What a presumptuous young lady. Why is she acting so high and mighty?
Could it be she had some sort of incident with Edan?
As she observed Ludmilla, full of victorious confidence, Zebeline felt a twinge of annoyance.
“Did you call me in to mock me?”
“Of course not.”
The princess skillfully served milk tea to the Saintess.
Milk tea would suit a girl of stunted growth, mixed with black tea and milk. She was mocking her to drink more milk and grow her gumdrop-like chest.
Yet, Zebeline must not have caught the underlying meaning, as she promptly drank the milk tea.
*
There was nothing ‘next.’
What does ‘next’ even mean?
Pondering over Regnas’s message obtained by blackmailing Prince Erik, she voiced her question.
I don’t know.
I’m not fond of codes.
“The Saintess Party must have successfully hunted down the Demon King, the ultimate shadow of the story… it should have ended with a corny happy ending, with everyone living happily ever after.”
Part one ended.
And it should have transitioned to part two.
But for some reason, the missing protagonists started to create chaos, acting as if they had become villains. The world, which had barely regained peace and order, began to be engulfed in the whirlwind of upheaval due to the protagonists.
What on earth did Regnas want to convey?
Heaving a deep sigh, she recalled the image of the Sword Saint turned Vengeful Spirit.
“Are you troubled with something, Holy One?”
“…It’s not your place to ask.”
A woman with long black hair entered through the door and inquired.
Once again, she sighed.
“I will do anything to aid your cause to one day drive away the arrogant Creator Deity and grant us a new world!”
“……”
Never did she expect to receive a loyalty pledge from the villain who had obliterated the Imperial Palace of the Valtarian Empire. A strange feeling of becoming a villain herself began to settle in.
“Don’t do anything reckless, or I’ll toss you out in the blazing sun for half a day. And I’ll shove handfuls of garlic into that babbling mouth.”
“Ahh… Truly, how marvelous it is to be chosen by the God of War. You’re so dashing.”
Had her head gone crazy after staying in captivity for a fortnight? Despite the life-threatening threats, Ariel blushed and seemed to fall into ecstasy.
Madness.
Even vampires can lose their minds, apparently.
Bothering with her only gives me a headache.
Shaking her head at Ariel, who was eagerly awaiting orders, she asked,
“How many vampires are waiting in the ruins?”
“Yes, just over 500.”
Quite a lot.
Having over 500 vampires is impressive.
Using the vampires who roam freely across the night sky to gather intelligence would surely be of great use. Though, for now, I have no intention of using the clan of fresh blood.
“I will cherish the gift you granted, Holy One.”
“That’s a bomb collar. Stay away from me, or your head will go flying.”
Ariel wore a choker made of a dark, coarse powder on her slim neck. It was a safety measure in case Ariel betrayed or escaped.
Activating the blessing would make her head explode.
Not a metaphor.
It was designed to trigger as an actual bomb.
For now, she kept her alive since she was useful, but she was a dangerous individual who had assaulted the Imperial Palace. Hence, an extreme safety measure was put in place to counter potential consequences.
“Now, step back and wait. Don’t get caught.”
“Yes.”
Tap tap.
The sound of footsteps drew closer.
A graceful yet bold stride. The crisp sound of footsteps assured her that Elizaveta was approaching.
“Get out, I say.”
“I was trying to disperse into mist, but I can’t with the collar you gave me.”
Damn it.
Thinking back, that made sense.
She hurriedly considered hiding Ariel in the closet but found it impossible.
Elizaveta, with her footsteps, had already reached the door.
“I’m coming in, Edanant.”
“W-Wait just a moment!”
She shouted in a desperate voice.
However, the straightforward villainous princess opened the door without a care.
“……”
“……”
Without warning, Elizaveta entered and locked eyes with the woman with flowing black hair.
In the sudden turn of events, Elizaveta froze, holding onto the doorknob with shock and agitation.
A sharp sense of crisis surged as she gazed at the vampire.
I know.
Soon, I could sense the emotions from Elizaveta’s emerald eyes turning into rage.
“I’m telling sister that Edanant has brought a woman into his room!”
“It’s a misunderstanding!”
I wasn’t insane enough to feel any sexual impulse towards a vampire.
Her heart sank as Elizaveta hurriedly attempted to leave the room. She had to come up with a credible excuse instantly.
“Er, um, she’s a maid who just joined the Hohenberc family.”
“That can’t be true. She’s too stunning to be a maid of the family…”
“Though it’s embarrassing to reveal, my father was quite the ladies’ man in his youth. Thus, every maid serving him is an extraordinary beauty.”
“Hmmm. Is that so?”
There was no other way.
To alleviate the immediate crisis, she sacrificed her father as a scapegoat.
How many efforts had she put into protecting the Hohenberc family until now? Even if her father found out later, she believed he would understand without a doubt.
As soon as she introduced Ariel as a maid of the Hohenberc family, Elizaveta’s fierce expression gradually softened. It seemed she didn’t think that she would invent such a lie while betraying her family and father.
“Nice to meet you. I’m the maid who will be serving the great Edanant from now on.”
The woman, with hair as beautiful as ebony, elegantly lifted her skirt and greeted with poise befitting a prestigious family’s maid.
Elizaveta nodded, despite her displeased demeanor.
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