“Report in. The human alliance has crossed the border.”
“Finally, it’s here.”
At the sudden report from Stella, who appeared from behind, Martini straightened her body while leaning against the railing at the edge of the balcony’s shade, gazing into the distance despite it still being midday.
“Faster than I expected. It feels almost excessively hurried.”
“However, from what I’ve observed, there aren’t any significant openings. While they are indeed rushing, we should interpret it as them having more resources compared to three years ago.”
“That’s bad news.”
Martini mumbled bitterly.
The war had already begun. One might wonder why she seemed so relaxed in such a situation, but there was nothing Martini could do in broad daylight.
Now was the time for the vanguard to select good positions as they moved along with the troops marching above while hiding underground.
When night falls, they would attack from both sides. That would be the actual moment of war.
“It would be easier if they charged in confidently all at once, but… I doubt that will happen.”
“Unfortunately, I don’t think they’ll make the mistake they didn’t make three years ago.”
“Well, that’s just something I said.”
The underground facilities were constructed and maintained over many years, even involving the help of dwarves.
Humans had once shown insane courage by attempting explosions and entering underground to launch a full-scale war against the vampires, but the failures of the past had been passed down well, and they rarely repeated the same mistakes now.
Of course, blocking off some entrances to the underground passages was common now, and any combat would only begin after a battle of reading each other’s moves about whether to bypass or break through the blocked entrances.
Still, even with time ticking until the land is stained with blood, Martini couldn’t shake off her feeling of unease.
“Stella. Do you truly think I made the right decision?”
“Are you still holding onto that decision in your heart, Your Highness?”
“How could I not? My decision has caused my subordinates to spill more blood. No, perhaps it might lead to everyone’s death. How can a ruler shove their people into peril and shamelessly forget their responsibility?”
Martini recalled the last moment of Aria, who fled from the Duchy of Sahelrn.
The last hope left for the vampires.
Yet, to preserve that hope, she might have made a decision that could lead to everyone facing their end without even witnessing the arrival of that hopeful future. It couldn’t help but be said that such a choice was unworthy of a ruler.
It wasn’t a decision purely based on calculations; her feelings of guilt towards Aria and the lingering attachments from long ago had somewhat swayed this decision.
So, Martini thought that all the blood that the vampires of the Duchy would spill in this war was her fault.
In truth, she tried hard not to think that if things continued this way, it wouldn’t stop at just bloodshed. After all, even if Aria had been brought to the Duchy, the end result wouldn’t have changed significantly.
“Though it may sound irreverent, I can say one thing clearly.”
Stella calmly spoke up, never hesitating to say the truth.
“I’m not sure if the Duchy of Sahelrn will still exist at the end of this war. However, I believe your decision was the best one for the survival of the vampire race.”
“That’s unexpectedly generous of you. Are you trying to comfort me?”
“As long as I didn’t speak any falsehoods.”
Martini couldn’t help but chuckle at Stella’s unwavering demeanor as if stating an obvious fact.
“What a consistent oddball you are.”
Well, that’s probably why she insists on being a maid even after receiving a title.
Compared to herself, who wasn’t fit for the position but still ended up sitting in the Grand Duke’s seat, perhaps Stella, who was always calm and unwavering, might be more qualified.
“Alright, it is what it is. Whatever happens, the tasks at hand don’t change.”
The size of the human alliance was much larger than anticipated, with robust supplies, and the start date of the war was moved up earlier than initially expected, making the chances of victory for the Duchy of Sahelrn quite slim.
“As long as I’m here, the Duchy won’t fall.”
But still, Martini Sahelrn was the leader of the Duchy.
*
“Progenitor. You mentioned the ‘Eclipse’ magic. How long can it be used?”
“I was just tired earlier… I suppose if you’re in perfect condition, it’s definitely usable for about 30 minutes. But it depends on whether you can just stand still focusing on maintaining the magic, or if you need to fight.”
The fourth Progenitor, Aria, turned to the elves as if seeking approval.
The elf, Lavina Vercheria, nodded ambiguously. It seemed her lack of certainty was due to having only one data point from actual combat.
“Alright. Then let’s move the troops during the day. There are only minimal guards at the border during the day, and given that the war will keep everyone’s focus on the east, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“What does that mean…?”
Aria asked, revealing a hint of anticipation.
Seeing her like that, Jeil felt an urge to take back his words out of misplaced rebellion, but what was decided couldn’t be changed.
Crossing the Bertica Kingdom to assist the Duchy of Sahelrn in war was no simple task.
However, setting aside personal feelings towards Martini Sahelrn, it was not in the Helraig Duchy’s interest to let the Duchy of Sahelrn fall, so Jeil decided it was his duty as Grand Duke to make a national decision.
“For this time, we’ll assist. Understand? Just this war. And if you try to back out later, I’ll kill you.”
“Eh? Do you have the ability to kill?”
Aria blinked innocently as if stating the obvious, causing veins to throb on Jeil’s temple.
Was this really the right decision? Jeil struggled to ignore the swell of growing regret.
In any case, it was true they had lost, and although it was not in the expected format, he could see a possibility closest to his desire.
‘Concept-interfering dark magic, Eclipse.’
An unconventional magic that erases the sun and the concept of daytime within a certain area.
‘The power to overcome the hateful sun.’
While one cannot casually walk under the sun, if the area lacks the sun’s presence altogether, the result would still mean overcoming the sun.
Because the sun existed, he could not replace the first Progenitor.
Because the sun existed, he could not prevent the collapse of the vampires.
The power to overcome the sun was the key to survival for the vampires.
Unlike other races that gradually grew stronger over the centuries, the vampires had been stagnant for over two thousand years, bound by the same weakness. Thus, this news was as refreshing as rain in a drought.
The unique magic of the fourth Progenitor still wasn’t fully an overcoming force, but it represented the first possibility that no one had shown before.
Moreover, her fundamentally different attitude from previous Progenitors might serve as a root solution.
“That aside, Progenitor.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“I’ll help for this war. But what will happen afterwards? Do you have any thoughts on that?”
“Afterwards?”
Aria frowned lightly. Jeil could easily guess from her expression that she hadn’t thought it through properly.
“Correct. Let’s say everything goes well and we win the war. Will you roam freely again or hide somewhere? If not—”
Jeil deliberately paused.
All eyes were on him, including those of Aria, her entourage, and his subordinates silently standing behind him.
“—Will you consider becoming a king?”
Swallow. No one spoke, but the atmosphere in the room noticeably shifted.
It was no surprise. For vampires, a king was a symbol of enormous significance.
The fact that two vampire nations used the title Duchy says it all.
Even the most powerful vampire, Martini Sahelrn, and Jeil Helraig, who burned with ambition to reclaim the age of glory, had never dared to call themselves king until now.
That was why they were grand dukes, and why they were duchies.
For vampires, being a king bore that kind of meaning. Until now, only the first Progenitor had been the sole king, and no one else had been able to become a symbol of glory.
“Honestly, I don’t really know.”
Breaking the silence, Aria spoke calmly.
Starting with a statement of uncertainty after spreading everything here. It could sound irresponsible, yet no one dared to blame her given the deep agony and hesitation reflected in her tone.
“Three years ago, when I left the Duchy of Sahelrn, Martini said she wanted a king. At that time, I didn’t understand it well. I thought I had to do it because I had received a favor. The Duchy was the only one who stood by my side in this world. To avoid being abandoned and dying miserably somewhere, I had no choice but to become a king.”
“Was that just a thought? So what about now?”
“I’m not sure. But I understand that becoming a king isn’t something you can just decide on a whim, and you shouldn’t do it lightly.”
She had seen that the only option for survival required forcing herself into the image that Martini demanded.
But she finally realized what the symbol of hope that Martini Sahelrn desired truly meant.
And Jeil Helraig now offering her a crown was not just a light-hearted notion. Aria was fully aware of the heavy weight of that crown now.
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