Ch.68Chapter 68: Vampire (24).

Under the brilliantly bright moonlight, Valt raised his head to look at the sky.

Though the sky was dark in the deep night, it was clear that the barriers of Brasov, which had been protected by the divine artifact, had completely disappeared.

Valt asks King Bladir:

“What happened? Did they escape with that jewel?”

King Bladir, tugging at his shimmering silver hair, nods at Valt’s question.

“Yes, it’s the Nostalgia of Lishnu.”

Judging by its impressive name, it must certainly be a high-grade magical item.

“Is it a divine artifact?”

Lati, who had followed behind, answers that question.

“It’s a consumable artifact. Something that allows you to escape to wherever you want, whenever you want. There are several of them, but they’re incredibly rare—what on earth are these guys?”

Franz’s Mirror, the Blood Tears of Strigoi, the Nostalgia of Lishnu.

Valt’s group had encountered three artifacts that most people would be lucky to see even once in their lifetime, all within a short period.

Valt quietly speaks to King Bladir, who was deep in thought.

“Still, I think we need to sort out this situation.”

Behind them, the traitors and regular vampires were still fighting.

It seemed that high-ranking vampires had been recruited, making it difficult to reach a quick resolution.

At Valt’s suggestion, King Bladir finally nods and rushes to where his people are.

“Yes, this is no time for me to be like this.”

***

Once Valt’s group intervened, the situation was resolved in an instant.

The process of identifying the traitors was quite impressive.

Unlike humans, vampires could quickly identify traitors through the blood oath that Ishuran had shown.

Vampires who weren’t traitors naturally didn’t refuse the blood oath, while those who had even the slightest hesitation—the traitors—all rejected it, making it very easy to identify them.

After everything was over and all the traitorous vampires had been thrown into the dungeon beneath the palace, Valt’s group gathered in the dining hall rather than the audience chamber to begin their discussion.

“First of all, thank you so much, son-in-law. Thanks to you, we prevented the vampires from completely falling into their hands.”

“Ah, Father! Why do you keep calling me son-in-law!”

“Hmm? Isn’t it obvious? Are you saying you won’t marry after making a soul contract?”

At those words, Lati and Yuria glare at Liris.

“Th-that’s not it! It was an unavoidable choice to strengthen Lord Valt’s power!”

“I-is that so?”

It was a strange conversation, but it helped lighten the mood considerably.

“So what do you plan to do now?”

At Valt’s question, King Bladir lets out a sigh.

“Sigh… I’m troubled as well. As long as they have the divine artifact, it’s difficult to counter them, and if they somehow find a way to use the divine artifact with another strange tool, we vampires are finished.”

Everyone becomes solemn at King Bladir’s lament.

If they come back here again, truly all vampires except the pure-blooded might become puppets.

Ishuran, who was dining with them, quietly murmurs.

“Send me, brother. I will retrieve it.”

“I understand your frustration, but Uncle, how do you plan to find them when you don’t know where they are?”

“Well, that…”

At Liris’s sharp retort, Ishuran hangs his head low.

Having committed a sin, he couldn’t raise his head.

‘How did it come to this… Is it so difficult to step into the light?’

King Bladir’s worries deepen as he feels that all of this happened because of him.

After pondering for a moment, Valt begins to ask about the situation in detail.

“What happens to vampires without the divine artifact?”

Though his head felt like it would burst from worry, Bladir kindly explains.

After all, Valt was a benefactor to the vampires.

Without him, they would have lost the divine artifact and all vampires might have fallen as minions of the enemy.

Bladir himself would have become a puppet for the sake of his people.

“I realize I haven’t properly thanked you, Valt. Thank you very much. Thanks to you, we were able to avoid the worst.”

Valt receives the sincere gratitude.

“I only did what I could.”

At his calm response, Bladir thinks that Valt is quite suitable as Liris’s partner.

Then he answers Valt’s earlier question.

“If the protective barrier disappears, we’ll gradually weaken. It will become difficult to be active during daylight.”

“Will survival become difficult?”

“Survival itself won’t be a major problem. But the disappearance of the barrier that protected us means we’re greatly exposed to danger.”

There are already many humans targeting vampires. Vampires can produce rare blood crystals, and their body parts sell for very high prices.

Moreover, security issues had already arisen despite the barrier, due to some unknown large organization.

Now that all the traitors have been identified, people aren’t the problem—the barrier is.

“Besides… only descendants of pure blood can use the Blood Tears. They will come here again.”

Whether sooner or later, it’s a given that they will return.

Bladir, who loves his race—be it Liris, Ishuran, or his people—has many vulnerabilities.

“We cannot defend here. Even if they use the same trick, we won’t be able to stop them.”

Closing his eyes and nodding, King Bladir sighs.

“Ah… but there’s no other way. Now that the Blood Tears have been stolen, fighting here, in a place we’re familiar with, gives us the best chance…”

At that moment, Valt’s eyes light up.

“What if we don’t fight at all?”

Ishuran is the one who responds to this.

“Valt, I consider you our benefactor, but you don’t have the right to decide our actions! We must teach those who deceived us a lesson!”

But Valt’s gaze remains unwavering.

“I’m not suggesting we flee forever. It’s a strategic retreat. Isn’t it foolish to fight when you know you have no chance of winning? It’s fortunate that the battle occurred in the middle of the night, but what if they attack during the day?”

“Well, that…”

Despite Valt’s persuasion, Bladir shows a negative expression.

“I understand what you’re saying, Valt. But we have nowhere to go. It’s difficult to move so many people.”

“What if I have a solution for both problems?”

At that moment, everyone thinks of Franz’s Mirror.

The divine artifact that Prok left behind instead of the Blood Tears of Strigoi.

Its value must be no less than the Blood Tears.

No, its utility might be far superior to the Blood Tears, which have restrictions on their use.

“But where would we go… Vampires have lived in this great forest for thousands of years. There’s no place more suitable for us than…”

Valt speaks with certainty.

“There is a place.”

Out of curiosity, Bladir asks again.

“You say there’s a place?”

“Let’s go south. There’s a place in the south suitable for vampires.”

“…The south? Isn’t that where the vast plains and great desert are? It’s impossible for us to live in such a place where the sun blazes.”

It’s natural for Bladir to think this way.

Not many people have actually been to the south.

Therefore, few know exactly what’s there.

Since ancient times, when barbarians were a plundering people, it was customary to strip outsiders of everything, down to their underwear.

“Besides, there are no humans there to provide us with blood. Unless we take the humans imprisoned here with us, it won’t be easy to adapt.”

But at that moment, Liris realizes something and exclaims almost like a scream.

“The blood crystals of the Salamander!!”

At Liris’s outcry, Bladir and Ishuran can only look puzzled.

But Valt grins.

“Yes, food won’t be scarce. In fact, it will be abundant. What remains is living space… and I think I can solve that too.”

“H-how, Lord Valt?”

“The south isn’t just plains and desert. There are canyons made of rock, similar but different.”

The south is vast.

There was plenty of land that humans considered useless.

Among them was a place called “Majes Canyon,” a massive, tremendous gorge.

With large caves scattered throughout, it would be perfect for vampires to live in.

Besides, aren’t vampires like bats? Bats naturally live in caves.

Valt thought vampires would fit in perfectly as residents of Majes Canyon.

“Canyon… a canyon…”

To the contemplating Bladir, Valt drives home his point.

“The canyon has dozens, hundreds of massive caves. I think it’s sufficient for vampires to live in. If you wish, we could help with expanding the caves.”

And finally, the decisive reason:

“You’ve tasted my blood, haven’t you?”

Nodding, Bladir unconsciously swallows.

Valt’s blood was like a specific remedy for vampires, especially those who inherited pure blood.

They thought using Innate Vitality would shorten their lifespan, but that wasn’t the case.

As long as they didn’t overuse the power amplified by Valt’s blood, it was like an elixir that could even restore Innate Vitality.

And that was with just a small sip.

No, if the purpose was to quench the thirst for blood, even a single drop would be enough.

“If you make a soul contract and teach the use of blood magic, there will be many Gerungtu willing to provide blood.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Ishuran swallows and asks:

“Is, is that true?”

It’s human nature to crave delicious food.

And if it’s delicious and good for the body… who could resist?

It was a secret that the moment the Blood Tears of Strigoi were stolen, the plan to relocate the vampires was completed in Valt’s mind.

Ishuran’s urgent expression.

King Bladir’s subtle anticipation.

Liris’s suddenly reddened face.

“Of course. You could even shower in Gerungtu blood if you wanted.”

Though the phrasing was a bit strange, the three people’s expressions brightened instantly.

It was the moment Valt’s grand plan came to fruition.