“Your Highness, the Progenitor has awakened.”
“Come in.”
Here we go. I composed myself and stepped into the office.
The office was surprisingly simple.
Not in a sparse or dull way, but it had just enough lavishness to not be looked down upon by outsiders, giving off a strong vibe of minimalism in luxury at first glance.
And at the center, there was a woman dressed in red.
With her luxurious blonde hair tied up, sharp eyes, and a dry yet confident light smile.
She had an air of sophistication that reminded one of a noble lady, yet her youthful face, appearing to be in her mid-twenties, showcased an oddly unbalanced charm.
But her unique and glamorous appearance did not captivate my gaze. She had something even more striking.
“Strong.”
Just facing her made it clear. She was overwhelmingly stronger than anyone I had ever seen.
Meeting her gaze struck a chord in my instincts. She wasn’t even looking at me with hostility, yet my body shrank back like a frog thrown before a snake.
The thick scent of blood, unmistakable and pungent, wafted through the air.
How many years had she lived? How many corpses had she piled up to reach this point today?
As the oldest and strongest vampire currently existing, the Grand Duke of Sahelrn displayed an experience akin to that of a ruler among kings.
I understood well why she hadn’t restrained me. This wasn’t a level where I could debate fleeing or not.
Thinking that my life rested solely in this woman’s hands made me break a sweat. Surely, I, a vampire, had no business reacting like a human in this regard.
At the same time, I felt resentful. Why did my fate continually toy with me in the hands of others?
“It’s an honor to meet you, Fourth Progenitor. I am Martini Sahelrn, Grand Duke of Sahelrn Duchy.”
“…? I am Aria.”
“Please, lower your tone. How can I afford to speak with someone of True Blood, as a descendant of the Great First Progenitor?”
Wait, what? What’s her game?
I found myself reflexively using honorifics as she approached me with such a polite demeanor, a situation I hadn’t anticipated, causing my brain to buffer.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one bewildered; the maid who guided me here showed a slight crack in her otherwise stone-cold expression.
“Please step outside for a while.”
But just like that, the taken-aback maid, upon receiving the Grand Duke’s command, bowed and left without a moment’s hesitation.
Is that professionalism? Or perhaps it suggests that the Grand Duke’s commands are absolute.
If that’s the case, it becomes even harder to grasp. Why would a ruler capable of wielding absolute influence within the duchy bring herself down to this level?
“First, I owe you an apology. I instructed my attendants to report to me once the Progenitor awakened, so they must have brought you here the moment you opened your eyes.”
“…It’s alright.”
In that split second, I hesitated about how to respond, but since she asked me to, I did.
Though they’re my servants, this woman wouldn’t make light of words uttered in the presence of others, especially not ones accompanied by the title of “descendant of the First Progenitor.”
Though I’d made a half-hearted excuse, it was also a minor act of defiance. A roundabout way of expressing that even though you hold my life in your grasp, I’m not scared.
Fortunately, it seemed my remark wasn’t insincere; she didn’t exhibit any signs of discomfort.
Rather than reading Martini’s mood, it felt more like she was openly nodding in agreement to signal me intentionally.
So, at this point, I gained two certainties.
First, though I don’t yet know the exact reason, Grand Duke Martini Sahelrn is displaying a respectful attitude towards me on the surface.
Second, her subordinates likely regard me unfavorably but still maintain a minimal level of courtesy to avoid opposing the Grand Duke’s wishes.
It wasn’t difficult to guess the latter.
As I had read in books, for the vampires of Sahelrn Duchy, their king isn’t the First Progenitor, whom they’ve never seen, but rather Martini Sahelrn herself.
They likely didn’t appreciate that their monarch would bend to someone who appeared feeble and unremarkable.
The reactions of the vampires I encountered on the way here only served to prove this.
The vampires who initially came to rescue me when I was dying said an invitation from the Grand Duke awaited me.
They brought me because their king commanded it. The moment the orders were given, it was a determined fact that needed to be fulfilled, so they didn’t feel the need to seek my approval.
Thus, they didn’t even bother to ask if I would accept the invitation.
The maid who discovered me awake promptly brought me to Martini’s office.
Logically thinking, moving someone who had just awakened from the brink of death isn’t very normal. In fact, Martini herself indicated she hadn’t intended to call for me right away.
The maid probably deemed it crucial to present me to her awaiting lord as quickly as possible.
A rather excessive display of absolute loyalty. This led me to understand that the seemingly polite but overtly oppressive demeanor the vampires showed me made sense.
After all the twists and turns, it became clear that the key lies in the hands of Martini Sahelrn.
The moment she withdraws even the semblance of goodwill from me, my life would surely reach its end.
“Then what does she want?”
There’s no such thing as unconditional goodwill in this world. Therefore, when she’d bent to me, there must be some reason behind it.
I surmised it might be something requiring my consent, just like what Raul had done.
If she could take it by force, she surely would have.
For the moment, understanding what Martini wanted seemed like it would help. But as I contemplated how to probe, I shook my head inwardly.
“Thanks for saving me. What do you want from me?”
No matter how much I racked my brain, there was no way I could win against a leader of vampires who had lived for thousands of years.
Overthinking would likely lead to nothing but unfavorable assessments against me.
It might be better to express my willingness to cooperate as long as my safety was ensured, positioned as such was my calculated intention.
“You’re rather blunt. Why do you think I want something?”
But the response I received was less than satisfactory.
Doesn’t she know you shouldn’t respond to questions with questions? Where’s her basic comprehension?
But since Martini was the one in power and I was subordinate, I had no position to obnoxiously voice my complaints.
Alright, let’s be patient.
“If you have no desires, you have no reason to lower your head.”
“Oh my. There’s some bone in your words.”
Martini laughed happily. Then, as if proving her harmlessness, she raised her hands in a gesture.
“I don’t think I would ever harm the Progenitor.”
“Think, huh.”
While it seemed friendly at first glance, her word choice felt ominously troubling.
Saying she “thinks” about not causing harm means that if circumstances change, there may exist a reason to harm.
A risky opponent indeed. Quietly, I adjusted the danger level in my mind before replying.
“Why?”
“Then let me ask you this: What do you think of humans?”
“Enemies.”
There was no need to ponder over that question, and my answer was succinct, provoking a slight chuckle from Martini.
“If we share the same values, anyone can become a friend; that’s my principle.”
“…”
That’s not something a Grand Duke vampire would say. It must surely be a lie.
“Haha, does that sound like a lie? In reality, I’m quite open-minded towards my kin. Though, to be precise, there is a difference between the Progenitor and her descendants, but if the same blood flows, we are kin, aren’t we?”
What is this, does she have mind-reading abilities?
It’s not a pleasant experience to be laid bare by someone I just met, but here I was, facing the world’s strongest vampire, oddly able to keep my temper in check.
My tongue spun uncontrollably in my mouth. At this rate, I felt I could manage to lick the soles of her shoes at RPM 1800.
Honestly, I had zero interest in whether or not I was of her kin, but I nodded in agreement as part of the pretense.
“Yes. That’s right.”
“But, well, if I said I had no desires, that would be a lie. However, as long as the Progenitor survives, I will also achieve my desires, so there’s no need for you to be too tense.”
Should I believe those words?
No, con artists generally don’t give off a foul smell to their targets.
They approach with a friendly guise only to betray you when you let your guard down.
After all, nearly dying was due to trusting Selin, whom I thought was close.
Yet, once again, as if she read my mind, Martini nodded.
“No matter what I say, you won’t trust me now. However, one thing—be wary of Helraig Duchy. You don’t have to trust me, but you must not trust them.”
“Why?”
Helraig Duchy. If I’m not mistaken, it is one of the two vampire nations on Terra continent, alongside Sahelrn.
Yet she just claimed to be open to her kin. Do the duchies have a poor relationship?
It was hard to grasp how to interpret this contradictory warning.
“Do you know that the vampires who have been pursuing the Progenitor since the signs of your birth? Though they couldn’t contact you because you lived protected by knights in the Luminous Kingdom, they have always been after you.”
Raul mentioned something in passing. But I only heard that there were vampires looking for me; I had no clue about their origins or motives.
Perhaps my lack of understanding was evident on my face, as Martini added supplementary information.
“The Grand Duke Jeil Helraig in the north believes that by obtaining the Progenitor’s blood, he can gain immense power. The outcome is uncertain since this has never occurred before, but what matters is that he genuinely believes this.”
“Damn.”
The curse slipped out instinctively. It stemmed so purely from my gut distaste that I had no time to restrain it.
“Wow, seriously.”
I might have suspected the existence of a lunatic among vampires, just like there are among humans, but I never wanted to know such living examples existed firsthand.
Then, curiosity struck me.
Martini mentioned that the Grand Duke in the north believes he can grow stronger by consuming me, but what about Martini?
If I were to ask her what her justification might be for her innocence…
“Don’t you crave my blood?”
“Please don’t compare me to the likes of Jeil. It’s unpleasant to be equated with someone who would present themselves to a similar kin as if they were savage.”
“I’m sorry.”
This time, I genuinely showed my discomfort. I quickly apologized, almost on my knees, yet managed to hold on.
If that’s all an act, well, I have no rebuttal.
Martini’s bittersweet gaze wandered for a moment. But quickly, she relaxed her expression and bowed her head once more.
“I apologize. It’s only natural for the Progenitor to be cautious of me. However, I hope that one day, you’ll realize that I genuinely wish for your survival.”
“…Alright.”
“Thank you. Now then, I believe I’ve held onto the patient for too long. Please rest for the next three days, and then we shall meet again.”
With those words, Martini’s expression maintained the natural smile I initially saw, yet her gaze carried a hint of loneliness.
Perhaps she was overlapping me with the First Progenitor in her mind.
I had no way of knowing that. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that her intent to not harm me was indeed genuine.
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