The heavy yet clear sound of the bell drapes the night air.
As if signaling something solemn, the castle gates of the old fortress, located at the heart of the homeland of the vampires known as the Sahelrn Duchy, swung wide open all at once.
Four crowds stood in formation before the castle gates.
Outside the east gate were the vampires of the Sahelrn Duchy, led by Duke Stella Banteker.
Outside the west gate were the Beastmen and Elves, led by Commander Kanak Deivalt.
Outside the south gate were the humans, led by Princess Selina Bertica.
Outside the north gate were the vampires of the Helraig Duchy, led by Duke Slein Perbat.
Once the castle gates were fully opened and the heavy sound of metal clanking ceased, the four groups, having held their ground while gazing at the fortress, began to move simultaneously.
Soon, the four forces halted before the main castle.
As four representatives gave their commands, the vampires, humans, Beastmen, and Elves knelt in place.
Diverse races, bowing their heads in the same direction, paid homage to the same thing.
Leaving behind a spectacle that could never be witnessed on this continent, only the four representatives made their way into the heart of the castle.
The central hall of the fortress.
The elegant back silhouette of a pale woman dressed in a black gown welcomed the four entrants.
She stood firm, her waist straight and her gaze slightly upward.
Her proud posture, embodying a will that would never look down, was so static that she seemed not to blink, yet somehow exuded a dynamic energy like a burning flame.
The four representatives who led their races knelt on one knee in a show of respect.
Turning back, Aria commanded them to rise.
Now five in number, they ascended the stairs.
Step by step, as if ensuring they moved in sync, the different races climbed slowly and cautiously.
The top level.
At the end of the staircase stood an Elf, a Dragonkin, and a knight bearing a sword to meet them.
No words were needed.
Eventually, the eight of them entered the audience chamber.
The moment Aria stepped onto the end of the red carpet, hundreds lined up on either side kneeling in unison.
Most among them were vampires, but upon closer inspection, a variety of races could be seen.
The four representatives who had followed Aria scattered to the left and right.
The seven who moved forward around the outer edge also knelt to properly greet the king.
Once the seven stopped, a complete silence fell, and Aria took another step forward.
With each step she took, she reflected on the collective heartbeat resonating around her and the weight of responsibility she bore for these people.
At the edge of the carpet greeted her the last stair leading to the throne.
They were cautious, so very careful.
As if promising to wait assuredly for whoever might follow, Aria ascended the stairs slowly, her head slightly bowed.
Three steps below the throne.
Aria lifted her head once more.
An empty throne and, standing beside it, a woman in a red dress and a man in a black uniform entered Aria’s vision.
Martini Sahelrn and Grand Duke Jeil Helraig.
Two dukes who had supported the race of vampires for nearly 2,000 years since the death of the first progenitor bowed humbly before the master of the night who had re-emerged after the long wait.
Aria clasped her hands below her chest and closed her eyes.
Offering a short prayer, as if paying respect for the dedication of the two dukes who had guided their kin for many long years.
The prayer did not reach the gods.
It was a prayer dedicated to countless lives that had perished on this land, becoming a single beam of moonlight hanging in the night sky.
The cascading moonlight dispelled the frigid bleakness and heralded the end of an era.
On this full moon night, the two dukes, who had been the only beacon in a dark, endless night filled with despair, faced each other three steps apart.
As Jeil extended the square plate he held forward, the object resting on it revealed itself beneath the chandelier’s light.
A tiara adorned with blue jewels.
Holding aloft the crown meant only for the queen, embodying the wishes of their kin for a blue sky they could never possess, the two dukes stood facing the throne.
Martini’s fingertips cautiously lifted the tiara.
A symbol that existed solely for the chosen embodiment of darkness, a title they, practically akin to kings, had not dared to dream of.
Jeil took a step back, and Martini, tiara in hand, stood before Aria, turning her back to the throne.
Breathless gasps mixed with trembling echoed in the silence.
And finally, the tiara that trembled in her hand settled upon her white hair.
Having fulfilled their role, the two dukes silently cleared the front of the throne and withdrew to the sides.
In the moment of succession, countless phrases adorned with flowery expressions were unnecessary.
The respectful bow of the two dukes kneeling upon one knee in silence towards the empty throne and the crowned woman, along with the presence of countless others kneeling, was more than enough to declare the legitimacy of the new moon.
One step, two steps, and three steps.
With the crown atop her head, Aria finally stood at the same height as the throne.
Not even the brutally heavy responsibility encompassed within the small crown could weigh her down.
After much contemplation, regret, and despair, she stood in this place.
To repay those who had first reached out a hand when she was rejected by the world, she willingly accepted her burden.
Slowly, yet confidently leaving her footsteps before the throne, Aria inhaled briefly and seated herself.
“Lift your heads.”
At the queen’s command, those beneath the throne, who had bowed their heads, raised them in unison.
Eyes filled with expectation, tension, and a strange exhilaration turned upwards.
And at last, they beheld their queen.
“For long years, a powerful race has written history stained with the blood of weaker races.”
Just a single sentence.
The refreshing yet enchanting voice, bringing forth a calm reminiscence, left the kneeling vassals trembling with emotion.
Noble bloodlines, great achievements, even the commonplace descriptors asserting one’s legitimacy were unnecessary.
Within their memories, the queen’s overwhelming power was already engraved.
Compared to the nearly eternal years of oppression, the emergence of this new moon shining upon the earth was a very recent occurrence, yet still, the trust and respect built alongside them on the battlefield remained clearer than any speech.
“Writing history in blood is the fate of civilization. Where there is day, there is night, where there is light, there are shadows; the history of oppression will continue for as long as life exists on this continent.”
As a declaration during her enthronement, it was perhaps a harsh and direct foretelling.
Yet no one seemed flustered or anxious.
Slowly surveying her surroundings, the queen smiled crookedly, seeming pleased with the determined and composed gazes.
“The cruel reality allows no space for the lofty ideals of peace, yet it grants those with power the opportunity to choose whose blood will write history. The historians of the past were Elves and Dragonkin, today it is humanity. And I will hold the pen to write the history of the future alongside you. Thus, I wish to elevate the kin of darkness, long despised for 2,000 years, to the most glorious position.”
Vampires cannot become humans, nor can they become Beastmen, Elves, or Dragonkin, nor can they become Dwarves.
But the reverse is true.
Anyone of human, Beastman, Elf, or human kin can become a vampire.
“The kin of darkness can embody all the humanoid races. And I will create a world where you can proudly relish your destiny chosen from eternity.”
A world where the existence of vampires has become an upper class.
A future they never dared to dream of unfolds in their minds.
“If history can only be established if someone bleeds, I will gladly take up the role of historian and decide who will bleed and who will survive. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a vampire. Those gathered here, who follow me, will enjoy glory irrespective of their race, and if they wish for eternal blessings, I shall grant them.”
Evil might be acceptable.
Hypocrisy might be acceptable.
If it is the price of divine righteousness received from the end of distrust and despair, the queen was prepared to embrace it.
The promise to unilaterally decide the fate of all was an excessively arrogant and shocking proclamation.
Some might dismiss it as absurd nonsense, but everyone present was aware of the queen’s potential to realize it.
Possibility birthed hope.
Understanding all this, the queen boldly extended the vision of what her possibilities might create as bait.
“There will be no coercion. It’s also fine if you wish to seek your own beliefs. However.”
For those who were determined to pledge their unswerving loyalty to the end.
“I will establish a paradise in this continent, solely for you.”
“Long live the queen!”
The moment Aria finished speaking, Martini and Jeil shouted as if they had been waiting.
Like an outpouring of pent-up frustration built up over 1900 years, their mighty cheers seemed endless.
“Long live the queen!!!”
The dual exclamations spread like a wave, and soon, the castle seemed to tremble with resounding cheers.
Vampires, Beastmen, Elves, Dragonkin, Dwarves, Humans.
Even though six races were gathered, there was no trace of lingering reluctance among the spellbound gazes.
All those gathered here had suffered, regardless of their races.
They were those who had long waited in the dark for the moonlight that would light their path.
While there were some exceptional humans present, they were already nobility akin to prospective vampires, lacking any reason to rebel.
They accepted the sweet goblet presented by the queen and willingly quenched their thirst.
On this day, news spread throughout the continent that an allied kingdom had been born, combining the forces of the Sahelrn Duchy, Helraig Duchy, and Bertica Kingdom along with the remnants of Albresia and the Beastman forces.
With overwhelming support, the person being crowned as queen was Aria Scarlet.
The progenitor of vampires who had stirred the world over the past few years.
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