“Oh, this place….”
From behind, I heard a small sigh from Lavina.
Considering the circumstances where ears are everywhere, it would have been wise to keep silent, but for some reason, either out of curiosity or sheer fright, she couldn’t help but say something.
Well, I get it.
At least this time, I totally sympathize with Lavina’s feelings.
‘All I can do is sigh.’
I looked up at the massive Grand Duke’s Castle looming before me. It wasn’t that the castle was artistically breathtaking; in fact, when it came to grandeur, the Sahelrn Duchy’s castle was a lot more impressive.
But the reason I was sighing already wasn’t due to how it looked, but rather the prickly presence subtly oozing from inside the castle itself.
‘They’re not even trying to hide it now.’
It wasn’t quite at the level of being overwhelmingly dangerous, but the overflowing malice was palpable against my skin.
There’s no doubt that the owner of this presence is the Grand Duke of Helraig, Jeil Helraig.
The level of preparedness and the sense of ease aren’t always proportional.
Even though I’d come here ready to fight, it was complicated seeing the destined future laid out before even speaking.
“Open the door!”
At the shout of Merton Gloton, the vampire from Helraig Duchy who was guiding us, the giant iron gate of the outer wall creaked open.
Though it wasn’t visible, I could feel that the number of vampires hiding inside was increasing with every step we took inward.
It seemed they didn’t care if they got caught this time, or perhaps they underestimated us, thinking we wouldn’t notice.
But now, we had no choice but to follow their lead.
“This is the main estate.”
After climbing a few stairs and reaching the castle gate, two vampires standing silently on either side opened the doors without a sound.
This time, the door opened smoothly without a creak, making me realize we were right in front of someone’s private chamber.
What caught my eye immediately was the red carpet that stretched from the entrance. I followed it with my gaze and lightly scanned the interior of the castle.
‘There are a lot more than I thought.’
In the hall, quite a number of orderly vampires were already lined up. If you counted the ones lingering outside, it was a significant number.
In contrast, we were only four. Realizing again that we had come to request an utterly unreasonable deal hit me hard.
Honestly, even calling it a deal felt off.
It was like someone out of the blue showed up asking for help against a war in a neighboring country—especially when that neighbor wasn’t just an allied nation but a rival.
But surprisingly, I didn’t feel that scared.
Maybe it was because I’d been living soaked in adrenaline lately?
If my head were to be sliced off right now, sure, I might start feeling a bit anxious, but just knowing I was about to fight a strong enemy didn’t phase me at all.
There had to be someone among those I fought who didn’t meet my standards of being formidable.
“Welcome. Fourth Progenitor.”
As we stepped into the castle, the vampire guiding us, Merton Gloton, quickly vanished, and an elderly man standing in the middle of the lined-up vampires to the left and right of the red carpet began speaking.
‘He’s strong.’
He wasn’t a grand duke, but I could still feel a tingling danger from above.
However, the strong life force radiating from the grey-haired vampire, who looked to be in his fifties, was not something to be dismissed lightly.
There was a clear difference in caliber compared to Gloton, who had dashed over a moment ago. The meaning behind that difference was only one thing.
‘A duke.’
He couldn’t be a grand duke, but he was definitely a strong individual to be distinguished from a mere marquis.
‘No wonder he suits his title poorly.’
What? “Welcome. Fourth Progenitor?”
His words were quite curt, a mere nod instead of a proper introduction.
It’s not like I came here expecting royal treatment, but the expression on his face was clearly laughing at me, saying, “Are you really coming here without a doubt.” It made me want to snap back at him.
“The Grand Duke is waiting above. Let’s go.”
His attitude was starkly different from the welcoming demeanor of Gloton I experienced in the wild.
Had they already accepted that we were on their home turf? They no longer sought my consent.
Alright, fine. I’ll play along for now.
But as we all prepared to move, the man I presumed to be the duke restrained our actions.
“I’m sorry to say, but the duke has instructed me not to allow anyone but the Progenitor upstairs. The rest of you will have to wait here for a moment.”
There was nothing remotely remorseful about his tone.
Moreover, he wasn’t even offering to guide the others separately; he was telling them to simply stand there as they awaited their turn in a rude manner.
I could feel Plona stirring slightly behind me.
But the timing wasn’t right yet. Before her patience wore thin, I gestured nonchalantly, urging them to wait as if nothing was wrong.
“Alright. Lead the way.”
In the meantime, I passed by the standing Plona, Eleonora, and Lavina, holding up three fingers briefly.
“…”
In case things went south, Plona immediately regained her composure.
Though the basic principle was to avoid confrontation whenever possible, given the overwhelming numbers against us and the obvious dire atmosphere, a fierce battle seemed inevitable.
‘Naturally, my people are more important.’
Since we had come requesting reinforcements, I wanted to minimize bloodshed as much as possible, but seeing the situation, I realized we might not have that luxury.
When I weighed my friends against those who might become allies in the future, it only made sense for me to lean toward the former.
Admittedly, not engaging in combat doesn’t equate to a chance for victory given the disparity in numbers.
Of course, there isn’t really a need to discuss chances of survival on the premise that one side will fight till death.
After all, from their perspective, the three waiting below were a bonus, while I was the main dish heading upstairs.
If I held on long enough below, I could negotiate with the grand duke and return, ending the situation.
Depending on how swiftly I could manage it, I believed I could pull it off well enough.
As I followed the vampire guiding me up the stairs, a dozen or so vampires trailed behind us.
I told them to come alone, yet here they were, all crowding around.
At least a sense of vigilance was faintly in the air; perhaps they were a little wary, not that they would neglect to observe our movements.
After a few more levels up, I once again stepped onto a spiral staircase, reminiscent of a dark passage leading down to the dwarven underground city, devoid of windows.
As I climbed the spire, the previously distant sense of presence gradually grew closer until I reached the same height.
“Your Grace, the Fourth Progenitor has arrived.”
At the ancient and ornate door, the guiding vampire spoke.
No reply came. Instead, the last barrier between us creaked and slowly opened.
Without waiting for further instructions, I stepped into the room immediately.
Having ignored my will until now, I felt a slight agitation among those behind me when I finally made my move.
‘Surprisingly spacious.’
Entering the room, I instinctively surveyed my surroundings.
For a space atop the tower, it was quite spacious, and the ceiling was high. The smooth stone floor underfoot felt quite sturdy, indicating it wasn’t just hastily built.
After scanning the bare interior in a second, I shifted my gaze to the opposite side.
There, on a semicircular staircase, sat a lone throne.
And seated upon it was a jet-black man, looking down at me arrogantly.
‘This man…’
The pinnacle of Helraig Duchy, Jeil Helraig.
The Grand Duke of the only vampires in Terra, one of the few descendants of the first Progenitor, noted in human history as the worst calamity.
‘Strong.’
The enormous presence, already felt from far away, was even more overwhelming up close.
The dense, violent scent of blood.
Behind his indifferent expression and languid gestures lurked a foreboding sense of death.
I instinctively understood he was more dangerous and powerful than any formidable adversary I’d faced thus far.
That man was death incarnate, a mirror reflecting a time stained with blood.
Suddenly, this conviction struck me.
Had I stood here three years earlier, with a whim, I would have turned to dust at his hands.
“I wonder how long you’ve been searching for you.”
Jeil Helraig slowly rose from his throne.
His voice was somewhat restrained but couldn’t hide the excitement of someone who had finally gotten their hands on their desired toy.
From his very first line, I found certainty. It was as I’d anticipated from the atmosphere—it was evident that he had no intention of holding a conversation with me.
“In appreciation for your labor in finding your way here, I will grant you a painless end, should you choose to surrender. Of course—”
“Jeil Helraig.”
I interrupted him before he could finish, and his expression contorted.
Too bad for him. I’d resented being looked down upon from the start.
No longer did I have to cower in front of others like a weakling, and today was the first stage to reveal that to the world.
If I didn’t intend for this to end neatly, there was no need to spare my breath on unnecessary talk. Don’t you think?
I would swiftly overpower him and obtain what I wanted. I urged him on, daring him.
“Your tongue is too long. Shut up and come at me.”
Crack! A vein bulged on Jeil Helraig’s forehead.
“…I had intended to show you at least a modicum of respect, being a Progenitor.”
In that instant, his crimson eyes glimmered in the moonlight.
Whether he was planning to force a one-on-one duel or simply cut off my escape route, the vampires who followed him swiftly surrounded me.
As I sensed the rising tension, the grand duke was already in front of me—not on his throne anymore.
He must have dealt out countless finishing strikes this way, a swift attack executed at short range.
Boom!!!
The wall of shadows that erupted from the ground collided with the grand duke’s fist.
The violent pressure caused the room to shake, and the shockwave reached beyond the shadow.
But…
‘I blocked it.’
I had managed to withstand the grand duke’s strike, reputed to be the second strongest among existing vampires, with my own power.
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