How many hours have passed? If everything had gone according to plan, the battle would have started in the early evening, but due to errors in the map, I’ve invested quite a bit of time just moving around.
It’s already been about three hours and twenty minutes since I blew up part of the Grand Duke’s Castle.
I didn’t count it exactly, but dawn must be close. The evidence being that the pitch-black sky has already begun to turn a faint hue. This whole situation was unexpected.
“Come on, let’s stop this and talk a bit, alright?”
The words I spat out while gasping for breath were laden with irritation.
Jeil Helraig. One of the two Grand Dukes ruling at the pinnacle of the Vampire species alongside Martini.
I never thought it would be easy. The base stance of that guy is aggressive, and his relationship with the Sahelrn Duchy isn’t good either.
There was no way he would cooperatively send out reinforcements, so I prepared for considerable hardships, ready for it to inevitably escalate into direct conflict.
“Crazy guy.”
Despite having gained the upper hand in what I expected to be the biggest challenge—the battle—I still couldn’t even say what I truly needed before the sun rose.
“There’s nothing to discuss with you.”
Jeil Helraig mocked me from his position, looking like he could collapse at any moment, much like myself.
That expression just screams irritation. Seriously, after calling me a crazy lady and all sorts of nonsense, look at him now!
Honestly, I can’t say my mental state is healthy. But I assure you I’m doing better than that guy.
It’s only since I’ve been sure I’m not planning to kill him that all this has happened.
Of course, I merely restrained myself not to deliver lethal blows; my intention was to either force his mouth open with punches or, if that didn’t work, to pummel him down repeatedly until he was incapacitated enough to be dragged to the negotiation table.
Yet, Jeil Helraig still stands there, refusing to topple over.
It’s incredible how he’s managing to stay upright, adopting choices that minimize his regeneration loss while grimly holding on. Here he is, hours later, still standing.
“In this land, strength is law. And you still haven’t brought me down.”
It was a shameless excuse, knowing full well he’s received unprovoked attacks from me.
But I couldn’t retaliate further. If I got angry and pulled back even a bit on the attacks, I’d genuinely die.
If my purpose had just been to survive and bail, I would have wiped this place out by now. But not now; that wouldn’t do.
There are responsibilities and expectations.
I came here, knowing fully well that I alone couldn’t handle the wars of the Sahelrn Duchy, seeking their strength even as they were my adversaries.
Even if I killed Jeil Helraig, the vampires of the Helraig Duchy wouldn’t follow me. It was a straightforward fact, yet observing those almost absurdly loyal subordinates confirmed that once more.
Despite possibly taking hostages from those subordinates, Jeil Helraig wouldn’t falter. So, I have to take him down but absolutely cannot kill him.
“Easy to say.”
I might sound cocky, but I firmly believe that in a fight to the death, I could win seven out of ten times against him.
No, actually, now that I have a decent grasp of my current abilities, if I play my cards right, I could win eight or even nine out of ten.
But fighting someone who is trying to kill you, while I must avoid killing him? That’s a different ball game.
I need to retaliate minimally, recover a bit when I can, and buy time with sheer fighting spirit and determination.
Jeil, looking like he’s at the brink of collapse, is ridiculously tenacious, and despite my carefully measured strikes aimed at just knocking him down, he still hasn’t fallen after several hours.
“I concede. You are strong.”
Even this dialogue was likely just part of Jeil’s tactic to buy time.
The only luck I had was that even though they look worn out, I can still feel Plona, Eleonora, and Lavina’s presence intact.
They all certainly seem quite exhausted, but considering the fight has gone on all night without a hitch, just being alive is a miracle in itself.
Having deployed a significant force, including several vampires of some rank, to our side from the middle of the fight perhaps made things easier for us. In that context, I could consider it a worst-case scenario avoided.
However, since my objective is cooperation rather than survival, the situation won’t resolve unless Jeil Helraig relents.
For now, I just keep hoping that when dawn arrives, the fight can be forced to a stop, but looking at that guy now, it seems more than questionable whether dawn will even bring resolution.
But I’ve reached a point where I can’t afford to hold back anymore.
I chose this path knowing it was reckless simply because it seemed like the ideal means to achieve everything I desired.
Whether it ends in victory or defeat, I’ll just keep fighting until the sun rises. If it still doesn’t work out then, I’ll think about it then—
“What you desire is to assist the Sahelrn Duchy in their war, huh?”
Right when I was resolving not to waste time anymore, this new conversation pattern popped up, and I quickly halted the magic I was preparing.
“Give it up. Unfortunately, that wish will absolutely not be granted.”
Should I just kill this guy?
Yeah, let’s kill him. Other possible options… well, honestly, I can’t think of any, but surely there’s something out there? Right?
As my patience hit its limit, the heat I had been suppressing began to rise. Just before I acted on that impulse, something I had been considering popped into my head.
“Is it because I’m the Progenitor?”
He flinched; this was the most responsive reaction I’ve seen from him so far. Though it lasted only a moment, I saw it for sure.
Jeil realizing my purpose for visiting isn’t that surprising, to be honest.
He must already know I have ties to Martini, and considering he made his way to the Helraig Duchy willingly, it’s a conclusion that isn’t hard to reach.
And it’s not odd that the Helraig Duchy wouldn’t assist the Sahelrn Duchy, considering they’re rivals.
But his reaction earlier confirmed it: his aversion goes beyond mere national sentiment or profit.
There’s no doubt Jeil Helraig had some friction with the Progenitor before me. The mere presence of a Progenitor, even if not the same individual, seems to evoke extreme hatred from him.
I faintly discerned a single ray of light leading to an exit.
*
“What do you plan to do then?”
Though I was caught off guard, Jeil Helraig didn’t bother hiding his displeasure as he retaliated.
His straightforwardly mocking tone caused Aria’s temples to twitch in irritation.
Struggling to stand, he pointedly continued to ridicule Aria without showing any outward signs of fatigue, thinking to himself.
“Quite sharp.”
While he had made some statements that hinted at his insights, he hadn’t expected a four-year-old Progenitor to deduce anything from them.
“I’ve underestimated things.”
Jeil couldn’t deny it anymore.
This fourth Progenitor is irregular.
Taking into account the support he had received from the Sahelrn Duchy, her rate of growth, vitality like a weed, and the hidden maturity and insight that belied her age hiding beneath what might seem like reckless, emotional actions.
Based on past experiences, Jeil had no means to predict the Progenitor’s capabilities.
If he had figured out the truth ahead of time and strategized accordingly, the outcome might have been different, but right now, it was all just meaningless speculation.
“But still.”
You cannot trust a Progenitor.
That girl, even aside from any feelings towards Martini Sahelrn, was a separate issue.
Honestly, though it might not be pleasing, in unavoidable situations, cooperating with the Sahelrn Duchy wouldn’t be beyond reason, sure, it could be considered.
Jeil was also a leader who had commanded a nation.
He wasn’t dull enough to not realize that the Sahelrn Duchy, standing as a bastion in the heart of the continent, was the reason the insignificant, remote Helraig Duchy could enjoy relative peace.
If the Sahelrn Duchy falls, the Helraig Duchy, previously overlooked for its lack of value, would be spotlighted as the sole surviving nation of vampires.
Only those who can exclude personal feelings for the sake of their nation’s interests possess the right to be kings.
Of course, he would never voluntarily consider aiding the Sahelrn Duchy, but if circumstances became dire, perhaps he’d consider it under certain conditions.
The problem isn’t the proposal itself but the entity behind the plan.
If the Sahelrn Duchy lacked ties to the Progenitor and had simply selected a suitable envoy to seek joint cooperation, he might have entertained the proposal.
But the Progenitor? No way. There’s no way in hell he would ever accept anything involving the Progenitor, even if he had to die.
The foolish Martini Sahelrn didn’t hide her intentions to support the fourth Progenitor as the potential sovereign since three years ago, which made it even more so.
This is something Jeil had to accomplish on his own.
There could only be one king among vampires.
And it has to be her—not that temperamental and untrustworthy Progenitor, who possesses nothing else but her innate bloodline and abilities.
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