Selina took the wine glass with trembling hands.
Her mind was racing, yet she moved deliberately, almost awkwardly, as if to avoid breaking the glass. Without a moment’s hesitation, she poured the contents into her mouth.
Gulp, gulp.
Selina’s throat undulated, and her bright red eyes widened as if struck by lightning.
“Haaaang……”
Her pupils flickered from being constricted to bewildered.
The dreamy moans, the blush, and the clumsy, blissful smile followed.
Thud, it seemed her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the ground, her thighs trembling uncontrollably.
Was she trying to savor the lingering sensation that had seeped deep into her brain? She repeatedly inhaled sharply, covering her mouth and nose with both hands.
As Selina gasped for breath from hyperventilation, her eyes focused slightly more.
However, judging by how she fixed her gaze on the wine bottle in my hand as if ready to shatter it with just a stare, it seemed she was more eager for new blood than having regained her rationality.
‘Drink without hesitation.’
I knew better than anyone that the moment a vampire tastes blood, they are condemned to a life of bloodsucking, in both good and bad senses.
But as with anything, the first time is always the hardest.
Even without the shocking visual of directly killing a human, it wouldn’t have been strange for her to express reluctance just at the thought of drinking human blood.
However, given her special upbringing, it seemed Selina was on the verge of completely letting go of her restraint.
She had initially accepted the cup, perhaps thinking of royal dignity, but was that unnecessary? At this point, she might as well drink from a bucket.
In any case, I didn’t want to hear any nonsense about threatening or joking with food, so I extended the wine bottle to Selina.
“Drink as you wish. Just be careful not to break the bottle.”
Selina, nodding eagerly as if she had to pee, grabbed the bottle, shoving the neck into her mouth right away.
There it was, the shadow of a drunkard throwing dignity out the window.
Twitch, her body shivered once again.
Greedily. And desperately.
It was as if she wouldn’t let go of the fleeting sensation, Selina clung to the blood in the bottle.
Her throat was constantly undulating.
It was clear that one bottle wouldn’t be enough.
As soon as the sound of swallowing from Selina’s throat changed to the sound of air escaping the empty bottle, I immediately opened a new bottle and handed it over.
Selina snatched the bottle with urgency.
‘Well, she doesn’t break things easily.’
Earlier, she had failed to control her strength and had smashed a railing, yet here she seemed to be a bit more conscious of her actions, maintaining at least a minimum decorum despite her urgency.
I was quite curious whether that caution was intentional, but they said you shouldn’t mess with someone during a meal.
For a while, I continued to open bottles and pass them over like a butler serving cans to a cat.
A servant using the Progenitor of Vampires as a bottle opener—the first in history, I suppose.
Thinking I had gained a rather undignified title was a strange feeling.
By the time four empty bottles lay on the ground, Selina seemed to have regained a little sanity and subtly adjusted her disheveled attire.
Amidst her flushed cheeks, besides the lingering taste of delicacy, there seemed to be hints of embarrassment.
“…I’m sorry for showing you such an ugly sight.”
“You’re newly turned into a vampire, so it’s only natural. How’s the thirst? Is it any better now?”
“Yes. This is the most pleasant feeling I’ve ever experienced. Thank you for giving me a new life.”
Selina smiled shyly and bowed respectfully.
Truly, she was quick to adapt. That must mean her desire for life was immense.
From my perspective, it was a good omen.
“If you’re worried about causing any accidents, I can place a temporary restriction to prevent you from recklessly attacking humans for a while.”
“Oh, really… Then I would appreciate that.”
If I could alleviate her worries with just this much, it was a bargain.
The efficacy of the restriction had already been validated with Plona. And I wasn’t the type of vampire to be stingy about making advance investments in allies.
I immediately placed the restriction on her, and Selina made a curious expression.
“Actually, I don’t quite understand what has changed.”
“That’s not the point right now.”
“Is that so? In any case, I’ve definitely received a healthy body. I assume you also have something you wish for from me, Progenitor?”
I nodded affirmatively.
“I would like you to take charge of managing the lands belonging to the Bertica Kingdom. After all, it would be less resisted to serve the bloodline of the royal family that has been here from the start than a suddenly appeared vampire.”
“Should I gather nobles who are likely to cooperate, spread rumors among the people, or incite factions among humans to tire them out… should I take it to mean that I should manage everything to prevent a rebellion?”
“That’s right.”
Seeing that she understood instantly, it seemed that learned individuals were indeed different.
Given her reputation as a princess who would never put down a book unless she was deathly ill, she clearly knew what she was doing.
I honestly praised her for comprehensively grasping the essence of the request.
“However, the biggest challenge is getting the nobles to support me… Do you perhaps plan to turn some nobles into vampires as well?”
“If they have ample merit and wish for it.”
“Then I think that might be possible. If the kingdom’s citizens can avoid shedding blood unnecessarily… that would please me as well. But may I ask why you chose me?”
“Ah, as a matter of fact…”
Initially, I had planned to take a few more days. However, since Selina and I could communicate, it didn’t seem necessary to delay.
I turned without explanation and headed back into the royal castle.
“Follow me.”
*
“I report to the Progenitor. The sinners you ordered have been brought.”
“Permit their entrance.”
After being confined for a while and abruptly dragged out without explanation, the king, prince, Glom, and Dweik felt their hearts pound as the two vampires exchanged dialogue.
‘Progenitor.’
The greatest catastrophe of the continent, an invader that had toppled the historically rich and traditional Bertica Kingdom after three long years of sharpening their knives in silence.
Although they had expected to meet upon being captured as prisoners, Glom sweated coldly in surprise at the sudden direct confrontation without any mental preparation.
“Lower your heads. If you commit rudeness, it would be better not to think about leaving alive.”
Just before the audience chamber’s door opened, the vampire who had brought them here threatened in a low voice.
‘What filthy, lowly vampires.’
Glom had to work hard to suppress his displeasure.
He was the king of the Bertica Kingdom. He was not someone of lower status like the Progenitor themselves or some common guard to behave arrogantly.
However, he possessed enough cunning to avoid outwardly expressing his discontent in such a situation.
‘The Progenitor won’t kill us right away.’
While walking along the crimson carpet with his head lowered, Glom contemplated.
If the intent was to kill, they would have done so long ago, and if they intended to execute them as an example, they wouldn’t have called them to the audience chamber.
Thus, the vampires likely had no intention of exterminating the royal family or slaughtering the kingdom’s citizens.
Given their actions from Erma to the royal capital, the Progenitor, despite their seemingly destructive actions, had incurred little civilian casualties.
Based on this, it could be surmised that the Progenitor desired to keep them alive, rather than to take vengeance by means of annihilation.
‘Are they thinking of making the kingdom itself a farm?’
While the royal capital had fallen due to overwhelming military might, it was nearly impossible for a vampire to govern a kingdom smoothly.
In other words, this meeting inherently carried some mixture of persuasion or intimidation.
The Progenitor probably intended to use the royal family’s humans as puppets to more easily devour the Bertica Kingdom.
‘Then it’s not entirely hopeless.’
It was clear that they were at a significant disadvantage, but given that the other side had their own desires, there might be room for negotiation.
It was bitter to see a historically rich kingdom taken by lowly vampires, but isn’t survival the priority?
If they had carried out execution without inquiry, there would have been no way out, but as long as they could survive, an opportunity would eventually present itself.
“Cough.”
Suddenly, pressure on his shoulder caused Glom and Dweik to stagger and kneel.
It was incredibly humiliating, but they had to endure it.
“You may raise your heads.”
The two, who were determinedly staring at the crimson carpet, finally lifted their heads.
High above their kneeling position, a woman with snow-white hair, who should have been seated on the throne of Glom Bertica, gazed down upon them with an emotionless expression.
The moment their gazes met, Glom felt a chill run down his spine, pressed as if by an unseen force.
Twitch, Dweik too seemed to flinch as if feeling something similar.
‘So that’s the Progenitor… I see.’
By merely facing them, Glom understood that everything occurring was not a mere coincidence or disaster.
On either side of the throne stood a pair of vampires, familiar faces to Glom and Dweik.
‘Martini Sahelrn, Grand Duke Jeil Helraig.’
The two grand dukes who had led the vampires for nearly two thousand years. Unlike the riffraff who would lower their heads before a powerful foe, these two titans who had sustained the race of vampires were not likely to submit to the Progenitor without reason.
The fact that the young Progenitor had managed to escape from the Luminous Kingdom before facing execution.
The fact that she had evaded persistent pursuers and appeared with incredible strength in mere years, managing to unite the vampires and deal a catastrophic blow to the coalition.
None of it was coincidence.
Given the precedents of previous progenitors, unimaginable events had unfolded, but the fourth Progenitor’s uniqueness should not be placed on the same level as theirs.
Glom raised his guard.
In the face of impending intimidation dressed as negotiation, he began to sincerely contemplate how he could free himself from the grip of the Progenitor.
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