Princess Selina Bertica desperately tucked herself under the blanket, trying to mask her fear with a calm expression.
Honestly, she could feel her facial muscles were stiff, so she didn’t think she was very successful, but at least the blanket provided a little comfort by hiding her trembling legs.
“Was there anything uncomfortable?”
A gentle voice soothing her like a child.
Selina flinched instinctively.
That’s not something someone who locked me up should say. She swallowed the retort that rose up her throat.
She was a captive.
The vampire who had been watching her outside was just informed that the Progenitor had come to visit.
Which meant the woman sitting casually in a chair a little distance away from the bed was the leader of the vampires who had conquered the Royal Castle, and it was clear that provoking her would bring no benefit.
‘…This person, no, this vampire is…’
Selina, lacking the boldness to retort to the one holding her lifeline, lowered her gaze and nodded softly.
“…Yes.”
“That’s a lie. You were quite uncomfortable, weren’t you?”
At the knowing laugh that seemed to say she understood everything, Selina’s gaze shot up unexpectedly, locking onto the crimson eyes.
For the first time since the vampire known as the Progenitor entered the room, Selina had the opportunity to look at her properly, and her mouth hung open slightly.
‘…Is this a vampire?’
Having lived a life confined to a small room—only by royal standards—Selina had never seen a vampire in person.
However, her knowledge was not entirely lacking; she remembered reading an academic article claiming that the Progenitor of Vampires was born with superior beauty, optimized for luring prey.
In terms of precedents, there had only been three before her.
Given that the publication era was before the emergence of the fourth Progenitor, one could question the relevance of generalizing based on just three cases.
But now, facing her, Selina instantly recognized the truthfulness of that claim.
Long eyelashes and ruby-like sparkling eyes. Her features boasted an otherworldly balance that made even sculptures depicting goddesses of beauty seem insignificant.
Her skin was pale and smooth enough to appear dangerously fragile yet exuded a healthy charm, appealing to the instinct to protect.
The elegant black dress, perfectly fitted as if made just for her, contrasted beautifully against the white skin, while her lustrous, flowing long hair shimmered.
Selina thought that if she stepped into high society, all eyes would be on her.
Moreover, the voluptuous curves of her body, contrasting sharply with her slender waist and long legs, made Selina feel an instinctive sense of defeat as a woman just from one quick glance.
Yet, despite all that, there was nothing vulgar about her—not like a flower on a cliff, she radiated a distant and unattainable charm.
Just sitting casually on the edge of the chair, looking this way, the vampire exuded an aura of noble dignity that made Selina shut her eyes tightly.
‘Get a grip.’
This was a vampire who had come to destroy her kingdom.
No matter how fragile she appeared, she was undoubtedly more powerful than any knight in the realm, a calamity that had claimed the lives of countless humans, not to mention those lost through her orders.
Even as a mere puppet, Selina needed to hold her ground as the Princess of the Bertica Kingdom before an invader.
‘The fact that the Progenitor came directly to my room means they must have some business.’
Even as a mere figurehead, her royal blood would possess some political value.
If it weren’t so, the meeting would take place below the guillotine, not in Selina’s bedroom.
‘This will not go as they wish.’
Selina steeled herself.
After all, her life was one that wouldn’t last long anyway. History shows that the royalty of fallen nations face a predictable end.
There might be slight variations depending on how cooperative she chooses to be.
However, she was already in a state close to being terminal. She didn’t know how many years she might have left.
If she was going to die anyway, she would do so with dignity as a member of royalty, Selina resolved.
“Ugh, I see you haven’t touched the book. I left it out because I heard you liked it.”
“…I just wasn’t in the mood.”
Selina responded inwardly startled.
True to her statement, unless her health had particularly deteriorated, she hadn’t put down a book for over ten years.
It was a trivial remark, but given the situation, she couldn’t ignore it.
If the vampire who stood watch outside the door knew that, it implied they had a way to assess the room.
And if they could gather that much information just by glancing around, it indicated she possessed senses far beyond those of a human.
And if it was a baseless guess, it would be the kind of person to be most wary of in negotiations.
“I am Aria. As you may know, I am the Progenitor of Vampires.”
“…I also believe you already know who I am—Selina Bertica.”
Selina shot back sharply, injecting a hint of rebellion into her words, stating that they should not act as though they were unaware of her.
Aria smiled, her lips curving gracefully.
Like a neighbor watching with amusement as a sensitive alley cat hissed from a distance, the gentle smile seemed to assure she wouldn’t harm her.
“I’ll be direct since you don’t want to dance around the issue. You don’t want to die, right?”
“That’s a rather disappointing proposal. Even if I don’t die at the hands of the vampires, I won’t live long. I’m not sure what role you expect from me, but do you truly think I would comply?”
Despite trembling inside, Selina articulated her refusal with clarity and confidence.
Death was terrifying. Having lived her life close to death, she was all too aware of its weight.
But still, she was royalty.
Even if merely a façade, she was born with her own scale of worth.
Yet,
‘Even with this life.’
She couldn’t put something entirely mismatched on the scale.
Although death was frightening, she could not allow herself to be toyed with by vampires for merely a few years of a life that was already limited.
Even if the fall of the Bertica Kingdom had now become an established conclusion, if she could make their rule a little more difficult with the lives she had left, that would not be a bad trade.
With her resolve in place, Selina suppressed her trembling heart, focused her eyes, and faced Aria.
“Oh, I suppose I chose my words poorly. Let me correct that.”
Aria smiled, not looking troubled at all, as if she found Selina admirable for some reason.
At that moment, Selina thought of her deceased mother and was suddenly startled, shaking her head.
Was it truly the charm of the demon? To feel such emotions towards a vampire, even momentarily, was unacceptable to her both as a human and a royal.
However, her inner conflict was short-lived, for Aria’s next words dissolved all of Selina’s previously laid-out plans and resolve into nothingness.
“Selina Bertica, I can grant you a healthy body.”
“…What?”
How to ascertain the demands of the vampires with the least information possible.
How to gradually waste her own value while still not complying with the vampires’ requests.
As Selina concentrated on Aria’s words, actions, and even the minutiae of her gaze to regain control, her mind suddenly froze.
A wish that she had dreamed of and been disappointed by countless times in her life.
Even knowing she shouldn’t listen, she couldn’t help but be captivated.
“…I know better than anyone that’s impossible. The kingdom, and even the priests of the Luminous Kingdom said it couldn’t be done.”
“That’s a limitation of humans, not mine. It’s possible. You know the method well.”
A limitation of humans. It was a method she would recognize if she thought about it but one she wouldn’t ordinarily consider.
In the midst of this influx of information, Selina’s mind quickly deduced one possibility.
She must not hear more.
With that instinctual realization, she squeezed her eyes shut.
“You can live healthy if you become a vampire. Tomorrow, in a month, in a year, in a hundred years.”
However, the whisper of a devil seeped through her unblocked ears.
Though she knew it was behavior that could potentially stir resentment, Selina hurriedly attempted to cover her ears with both hands.
“You must have had a hard time until now. Just breathing must have hurt, and every day must have been agonizing. You must have resented yourself for having to rely on others and felt the cold eyes of those around you grow ever colder. Watching their gazes turn increasingly frigid must have been miserable, but you probably didn’t have the courage to escape the pain and face death. Enduring that humiliation is far more daunting than death itself.”
Yet, she could not surrender.
The first visitor to pry open the lid of her fears and regrets, which she had buried deep in her heart, was the Progenitor of Vampires she had just met.
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